Peace talks between Philippines, NDF resume after snag
The second round of peace talks between the Philippine government and National Democratic Front in Oslo, which runs through October 10, hit a snag on issues on the crafting of a comprehensive agreement on socio-economic reforms.
But both sides stressed they will working out differences and come up with an agreement on socio-economic reforms within the six-month deadline.
"We, in the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines), remain committed to our goal of signing CASER (comprehensive agreement on socio-economic reforms) within one year of President Rodrigo Duterte's term of office. We are optimistic that our counterparts from the NDF share the same goal," said government negotiator Hernani Braganza in a statement on Saturday
A statement from the NDFP late Friday evening said talks were delayed after the two working committees differed on the outline of the agreement.
While both parties agreed to adopt the "preamble and declaration of principles" of their draft, negotiators for the government want the basis, scope and applicability deferred until they have exchanged a detailed outline of the nine-point outcome.
“The main purpose of the peace negotiations is to address the roots of the armed conflict which, among others, includes poverty, landlessness, joblessness, hunger, and inequality,” De Lima said
“It was the GRP who requested the postponement of discussions on the CASER for them to elaborate on their nine-point outcomes-based proposal,” said De Lima.
In response, Braganza said the NDF refused to include in the outline nine major outcomes that the GRP wanted spelled out in the CASER.
These are poverty eradication, environment and climate justice, globally competitive economy, adequate and quality social services, reduced inequalities, peaceful rural communities, food security, living incomes, and gender equality and representation.
"We want the outcomes spelled out in CASER because we do not want to limit the discussions only on the root causes of poverty. We also want exhaustive discussions on how we, the GRP and the NDF, can agree on a shared view of the future for the Philippines," Braganza said. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS
