Philippines Again Rejects Coalition

The government Friday again rejected a coalition with Communist rebels and said negotiations to end the Philippine insurgency should focus on land reform and industrialization.

In a letter to the Communist-led National Democratic Front, the government insisted that the rebels respect the “people’s power” mandate of President Corazon Aquino, who took office last February after a civilian-military uprising that ended the 20-year rule of Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Chief government negotiator Teofisto Guingona distributed copies of the letter at a news conference.

Government officials had previously rejected rebel demands for what the leftists termed a “transitional coalition government.” Friday’s letter, which promised general economic and social reform, was the first document spelling out the government position.

An ‘Illogical Demand’

“This government got its mandate through people’s power,” the letter said of the revolt that toppled Marcos after a fraud-marred election that both Marcos and Aquino contended they had won.

“This government will continue that unfinished revolution, to recover from the depths of crisis and to take the necessary steps to right the wrongs of the past. . . . But it will not do so through an unfounded and illogical demand for a coalition government,” it said.

Neither the National Democratic Front nor rebel spokesmen had any immediate comment on the letter. But they have complained that the administration was rejecting their demands before substantive peace talks began and warned that prospects for ending the 18-year-old insurgency would be slight if the government’s position hardened.

A 60-day cease-fire has been in effect since Dec. 10.

The two sides agreed Dec. 23 to exchange position papers by Jan. 3. The National Democratic Front is expected to release its paper today. Talks are to begin Tuesday.

Bases Demand Rejected

Guingona told reporters that the government also rejects a rebel demand for the abrogation of an agreement allowing the United States to operate military bases in the Philippines and a demand for integration of the rebel New People’s Army into the national armed forces if a peace settlement is worked out.

The government believes the issues of land reform and how best to promote industrialization should be the main focus of initial negotiations, Guingona said.

“Insofar as the (U.S. military) bases are concerned, we have to defer to the 1986 constitution,” he said.

The charter, which is to be the subject of a Feb. 2 plebiscite, allows the bases to remain after the current lease expires in 1991 provided they are covered by a formal bilateral treaty.

Proposal on Debt

Regarding integration of rebel forces, estimated at 23,000, Guingona said “it cannot be done.” He said rebels who lay down their arms may join the armed forces provided they are “qualified.”

The rebels also have demanded the dismantling of “repressive structures” of the previous regime, principally the paramilitary Civilian Home Defense Forces. They have also called for abrogation of “unequal agreements” with foreign organizations, including those governing the country’s $27-billion foreign debt.

At a separate news conference earlier Friday, National Democratic Front spokeswoman Carolina Malay called on Aquino to order the release of rebel leader Rodolfo Salas, who was arrested in September and is facing trial on rebellion charges.

The front contends that Salas, identified by the military as chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is a member of the rebel negotiating panel and hence protected from arrest. The government says it was not informed of such a status for Salas. Guingona on Friday repeated the government’s refusal to release Salas.