The “common ground” that the government and the Philippine Left stand on regarding the country’s territorial rights over disputed islands in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) is a promising sign that peace talks between the two camps may soon resume, according to a Malacañang official. In a text message, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. on Sunday said the negotiating table remains open for the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to share if only to end the country’s decades-old communist insurgency, arguably the world’s longest. According to Coloma, the OPAPP under Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles will now come in and take off from the Belmonte-Sison meeting and work out possible resumption of stalled peace negotiations.

Sy Egco, J. M. (2015, July 13). Sea row sparks renewed talks between govt, Reds. The Manila Times, p. A3.