A peace and conflict studies expert says President Duterte has given peace talks with the communist rebels a chance, but a security analyst believes the commander in chief’s “incoherent policy” has resulted in casualties and has even given the Left a “strategic advantage.” Previously, Duterte terminated intermittent peace talks with Maoist-led rebels and would consider them “terrorists” because hostilities had continued during negotiations. From July 1, 2016, the day after President Duterte’s inauguration, to April 30, 2017, there were 128 incidents involving the NPA in the southern Philippines, according to The Diplomat. These incidents resulted in between 104 to 133 injuries and 104 to 138 deaths among insurgents, soldiers, and civilians combined.