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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Palace pushes continuation of talks with communists

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PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza on Monday welcomed the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front’s call to proceed with the bilateral ceasefire negotiations.

In a statement released by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Dureza said:   “We welcome and respect the positive position coming from the leadership of the CPP/NPA/NDF.” 

“On the part of the Philippine government, we share the same commitment to work for just and lasting peace in the land,” said Dureza. 

“When ‘compelling reasons,’ as President Duterte earlier announced, are present, then we in government shall take the next necessary steps,” Dureza said.

Last Sunday, the CPP ordered its armed wing, the NPA to release six prisoners of war as a “positive gesture.” 

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The communist leadership said if the military cooperated, the POWs would be able to “return to their families before or during the scheduled negotiations in The Netherlands.”

The negotiating panels of both the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the government were scheduled to meet in Utrecht, The Netherlands from Feb. 22 to 27 to discuss the bilateral ceasefire agreement.

The meeting was scheduled ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement he was terminating the government’s peace talks with the Reds earlier this month. 

Duterte said on Feb. 4 the peace talks would remain canceled unless he saw a compelling reason to resume the negotiations. 

In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said: “Following the abrupt lifting by the NPA of their unilateral ceasefire and attack on government troops, President Rodrigo Duterte in response lifted the GRP [government of the republic of the Philippines] unilateral ceasefire.”

“GRP has in fact moved closer to the NDF position, much closer than previous administrations have,” Abella said. 

Abella said Duterte had instituted socio-economic reforms, moved towards political and constitutional reforms; charted an independent foreign policy; opened up to national industrialization and land reform.  

Duterte also opened his Cabinet to the participation of political “progressives.” “©”©

“In so doing, Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines responded by saying, at the start of the Third Peace Talks, that the GRP-NDF are no longer in an ‘adversarial mode’ but in a ‘problem solving mode’,” said Abella. “©

Abella said it might be pertinent to note the NDF probably pushed the envelope too fast and too soon in demanding the full release of political prisoners prior to any signed agreement and for lifting the ceasefire ahead of their deadline. “©”©

“While it is understandable that suspicions linger about the motives of the parties on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum, some ‘compelling reasons’ need to be provided for talks to resume…” said Abella:”©”©

Abella said agreement to a bilateral ceasefire must include:”©”©

ceasing of the so-called”revolutionary tax” aka “extortion” “©”©;

ceasing the ambushes on military personnel”©”©; 

ceasing burning of property”©; and 

ceasing provocative and hostile actions. “©”©

“Considering the unprecedented goodwill the President has shown, these actions from NDF may provide compelling reason and could put at ease, to some extent, the apprehension of the military and the Administration,” said Abella. 

“After all when guns are silent we can better listen to each other. We need to take in good faith the President’s vision for a peaceful, just and inclusively prosperous Philippines. He has already taken the first steps forward. We wait for NDF to respond,” said Abella.

Meanwhile, the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Monday again urged the Duterte government to return to the negotiating table and continue with the peace talks with the NDF, especially after the CPP-NPA reiterated its willingness to discuss a bilateral ceasefire agreement. 

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