Despite the suspended restart of negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza expressed optimism the peace talks will still materialize.

Dureza, in an online interview, said he remains optimistic and has high hopes the momentary suspension of peace negotiations will not be a hindrance to the government’s quest for lasting peace with communist rebels.

Dureza also belied reports the military was behind the cancellation and resetting of the fourth round of formal talks with the NDFP previously set on June 28 in Oslo, Norway.

“President Duterte would like to bring a sustainable and just peace in the land,” Dureza said.

The suspension of talks was decided by President Rodrigo Duterte himself after he was briefed by chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III on the status of the backchannel talks at the recent Cabinet meeting, Dureza said.

Backchannel negotiations were suspended after the government sought a three-month review of all agreements with communist rebels.

The suspension of talks, however, “does not preclude communications between the two parties if deemed necessary,” government peace negotiator Hernani Braganza said after a three-day meeting with his counterparts in the NDFP.

The NDFP, on the other hand, said both sides had “mutually determined to overcome obstacles and impediments to the peace negotiations” and added that both parties will conduct consultations on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) during the three-month review.

The suspension of the peace and backchannel talks was met with fierce criticism and as Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison put it, the government has “turned against written agreements” signed during backchannel talks in The Netherlands from June 5 to 10.

Sison said he will return to the country, but his plan would depend on the “necessary political, legal, security and technical requirements” contained in a document signed by the two negotiating panels last June 9.

For its part, the Duterte administration wants to hold public consultations, which it hopes would galvanize support for the peace efforts.

Malacañang earlier had announced it preferred the peace talks with communist rebels to be held in the Philippines than in a neutral country, but it was quickly downplayed by some peace panel consultants, saying it will “practically kill” the peace talks because it is a “recipe for destruction.”