President Rodrigo Duterte expressed optimism on Thursday that peace with the communist New People’s Army ( NPA) could be reached much earlier.

“At the rate that the NPAs are surrendering, apaprently I think that we’d be able to realize peace much earlier,” Duterte said in a speech during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-appointed government officials in Malacanang.

He said the government has to comply with its promise of assisting the former Maoist rebels return to their normal lives.

“But the most important thing is to come up and comply with the promise to the rebels,” Duterte said.

The government has been implementing the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) for rebel returnees. The program included extending cash and livelihood assistance to the former rebels.

The military has said many NPA rebels, particularly in Mindanao, have  surrendered and availed of the government’s integration program.

Duterte terminated the formal peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front in 2017. Celerina Monte/DMS