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Communist rebels could no longer continue the peace talks with the current Philippine government as it would be "productive" for them to instead join in the move to oust President Rodrigo Duterte, Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison said on Thursday.

Duterte, however, shrugged off Sison's statement, saying there is no change on the current set-up since the government and the New People's Army are still at "war" with each other.

"Based on the implications drawn from the current impasse, the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) can no longer negotiate with a GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) that is headed by Duterte. So long as he heads the GRP, the Filipino people, especially the oppressed and exploited, cannot expect any benefit from negotiating with the Duterte regime," said Sison in a statement.

"It is relatively easier and more productive for the NDFP to participate in the Oust-Duterte movement and to prepare for peace negotiations with the prospective administration that replaces the Duterte regime," he added, citing Duterte's past actuations, such as termination of the peace talks and declaring the CPP-NPA as terrorists.

Sison said the "CPP, NPA and the people have to fight and defeat the offensives of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) being unleashed by the Duterte regime."

Meanwhile, Duterte, in an interview in Bohol, said if the Maoist group wants their fight to drag on for years, so be it.

“My main task is to seek, find the peace of the country. If they are not willing to talk to me that’s fine. I have no problem. So we continue with the war,” he said.

Duterte said it was fine with him if the communists want to overthrow his administration.

“If you want to overthrow my government, fine. If you are willing to talk, come here, if you don’t want, then it’s okey,” Duterte said.

"It does not really change the equation; we are still fighting with the Communist Party of the Philippines,” he added.

Formal peace talks between the government and the NDFP were supposed to resume on June 28. But the government canceled it as Duterte wanted to review first all the agreements signed by his predecessors.

Even the back channel talks were suspended for three months.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza was supposed to hold a press conference upon his arrival from Norway, the third party facilitator in the peace talks, on Friday, but his office canceled it "due to unforeseen circumstances."

Communist rebels have been waging war against the government for almost 50 years. Celerina Monte/DMS