President Rodrigo Duterte has set as a precondition the signing of a bilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels before he orders more political detainees released, the government’s chief negotiator with the National Democratic Front said Tuesday.

Silvestre Bello III, who is also the labor secretary, said Duterte directed him and peace panel member Angela Librado-Trinidad to produce a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement.

“Produce to me a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement and I will release them within 48 hours. You can take my word for it,” said Bello quoting Duterte.

Asked if Duterte's order was a precondition, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said, "I don't know if you want to call it 'precondition' because it sounds very harsh and very demanding, legalistic."

"But, basically, I think what he (Duterte) wants is a reasonable agreement and signed, that both sides, GPH (Government of the Philippines) and the…Communist Party (of the Philippines), NDF, mutually agree to a ceasefire," he explained.

In a speech on Monday night in Malacanang, Duterte said the government has already conceded much in the peace process with the NDF and he could not just release the 130 political detainees.

Duterte said he wants a signed document from the government and the NDF.

But the president vowed to release elderly and sick detained rebels before Christmas Day.

“The president told us that once he receives even just a facsimile copy of the signed agreement, he will immediately order the release of communist rebels,” Bello said.

He said the NDF has submitted a list of 200 prisoners, 25 of them are elderly, sick and women, who are eligible for release under the new guidelines of the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognizance and Parole.

The NDF claimed 434 rebels are still being held in different detentions all over the country, he added.

Human rights said detainees have begun fasting last Saturday. Karapatan, in a statement, said following this action and the “recent statement” of government officials, political prisoners will elevate this to a hunger strike.

The next round of peace negotiation between the government and the NDF is set by third week of January in Rome, Italy through the facilitation of Norway. Celerina Monte/DMS