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MANILA (UPDATED) - Communist rebels have agreed to stand down ahead of the resumption of formal peace talks with the Philippine government, but want more than 520 political prisoners freed.

An amnesty proclamation will be part of an interim peace agreement scheduled for signing on June 28, said Fidel Agcaoili, chairman of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines’ peace panel.

Agcaoili said the government panel had "committed" to the proclamation to be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, but it would require the concurrence of Congress.

"The amnesty proclamation is basically tapos na (It's finished)," Agcaoili told ANC’s Early Edition on Friday, saying the president’s endorsement of the proclamation to the legislature would "signal that he is sincere" in freeing political prisoners.

A number of such detainees were released in 2016 so they could participate in the peace talks.

But Duterte, incensed over continued attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) on government forces despite the talks, refused to free more unless the rebels signed a bilateral ceasefire deal.

A stand-down agreement, a prelude to a more binding ceasefire, is set to be announced by the two peace panels on June 14 to "ensure" there would be no "spoilers" for the formal negotiations, Agcaoili said.

"The stand-down agreement has been agreed jointly already," he said. "All that’s needed is to sign it and declare it."

A copy of the deal obtained by ABS-CBN News from another source requires government troops and the NPA to "stay where they are" and "not commit any offensive action or operation against combatants and civilians."

Duterte peace adviser, Secretary Jesus Dureza, said he could not comment on the stand-down deal and amnesty proclamation because "the agreement is for joint statements."

"We do not discuss issues unless (they’re) on the negotiating table," he told ABS-CBN News.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Agcaoili said negotiators were set return to Utrecht in The Netherlands on June 4 to put the "finishing touches" on the three documents comprising an interim peace agreement.

Aside from an amnesty proclamation, the interim accord will include a coordinated unilateral ceasefire deal, and an agreement on agrarian reform and the nationalization of certain industries—major components of a proposed Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).

Agcaoili said peace talks could be completed within the year depending an a "mutually acceptable" deal on CASER and the third item in the agenda, an agreement on political and constitutional reforms.

Duterte has repeatedly asked Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines, to return to the country to continue the talks here.

Sison said he was willing to end his self-exile on Utrecht if a deal on CASER was reached.

But he said Duterte should also request the United States to remove the communist leader’s name from its list of terrorists, noting he could be arrested on his way to the Philippines because of the label.

Agcaoili said such a move would show the president was "earnest" in seeking Sison’s return.

Duterte earlier guaranteed Sison would not be assassinated like opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1983 should he decide to fly home.

Agcaoili replied: "I would like to believe him but you know, President Duterte should also understand that he has made many promises, which he has broken. He knows that."