GRP, NDF agree to resume peace negotiations
By Robina Asido
The Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) "agreed to a principled and peaceful resolution" in ending the more than five-decade old armed conflict in the country in a joint communique on Tuesday.
This marks the resumption of peace talks between the Philippines and Communist rebels, which was terminated by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017 and formally ended in 2019.
Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the "joint communique highlights a significant milestone in the quest of the Filipino people to achieve peace, reconciliation, and unity."
The joint statement, read by Galvez, noted that in "cognizant of the serious socioeconomic and environmental issues, and the foreign security threats facing the country, the parties recognize the need to unite as a nation in order to urgently address these challenges and resolve the reasons for the armed conflict."
As both "parties agree to a principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict", it noted that importance of "resolving the roots of the armed conflict and ending the armed struggle (which) shall pave the way for the transformation of the CPP-NPA-NDFP."
"The parties acknowledge the deep-rooted socio-economic and political grievances and agree to come up with a framework that sets the priorities for the peace negotiation with the aim of achieving the relevant socioeconomic and political reforms towards a just and lasting peace. Such framework, that will set the parameters for the final peace agreement, shall be agreed upon by both parties," the statement said.
"Consequently, we envision and look forward to a country where a united people can live in peace and prosperity," it added.
Galvez said the negotiating team of the Philippine government and the NDF are presently conducting exploratory discussions in the Netherlands.
"As of now, they are in the Netherlands, we are undertaking some of the administrative and some protocols that will be undertaken in the future exploratory discussions," he said.
In a separate press conference on Tuesday, Luis Jalandoni, a member of the NDF National Executive Council confirmed that the joint statement was signed in "a low-key ceremony in Oslo, Norway with the presence of the top Royal Norwegian Government officials which serves as the third party facilitator.
The joint statement was signed by Jalandoni as NDF representative and by Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr, the Special Assistant to the President representing the Philippine government.
In his speech, Jalandoni said "the joint statement is a product of almost two years of informal discussions, workshops and dialogue that started with the discreet initiative of the GRP emissary and which was positively welcomed and highly appreciated by the NDFP Chief Political Consultant, the late Prof. Jose Maria Sison."
He emphasized that "after exactly six year to the day when the doors for formal peace negotiation were officially shut closed by the former GRP President, the Parties are again talking even as the armed conflict continues."
Galvez also confirmed that the joint statement will not have an immediate effect on the ongoing ground operations.
"It is agreed upon that there is no immediate effect," he said.
"As Secretary Galvez has said these are preliminary exploratory talks and all programs security law enforcement programs of the government shall continue," Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. added.
National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Ano also emphasized the importance of the amnesty that was recently granted by the government to the members of the MILF, MNLF and the CPP NPA NDF to the peaceful resolution of the armed struggle in the country.
"On the lens of National Security, our objectives actually is to eliminate the threats to National Security, one of which is the threat from CPP-NPA for more than five decades... And I think, it’s about time to have closure, closure that is acceptable to everybody, to the Filipino people particularly, ending the armed struggle. So with this I think, this is a very, very good opportunity to be able to give?but amnesty is actually in tandem with this particular agreement," he said.
In a television interview, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said at least 400 members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army - National Democratic Front are expected to benefit from the amnesty grant of the government.
"400 plus from the CPP-NPA-NDF because we have identified these people, the members of the CPP-NPA who are facing these criminal charges in court and also let me also emphasize that from the surrenderees that we have, meaning to those who have already returned to the folds of the law there are also more than 400 who will benefit from this amnesty program," he said.
Aguilar noted the cases against the members of the communist group "are the ones preventing them from surrendering because instead of going back to their families they fear that they will go to jail." DMS
