THE National Democratic Front insisted Tuesday that the failure of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to adhere to its own unilateral ceasefire was the reason the communist rebels have been slow to declare their own truce with the government.
“The AFP never ceased their operations in Davao del Norte and in Southern Mindanao Region,” NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni said Tuesday in a television interview.
“There was no compliance on the part of the AFP in the unilateral ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte, one of the reasons why the CPP Central Commitee needed more time in pursuing a ceasefire declaration,” Jalandoni added.
Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said Tuesday that they are now working to effect the release of political prisoners to participate in the resumption of formal peace negotiations with the communist insurgency in Oslo, Norway on Aug. 20.
“We have to go through a very tedious and legal process to make it happen,” Dureza said.
“As much as we can, we would like them to be there [at the negotiations] but they should pass through judicial processes. It’s now the judiciary that takes primary control on how it’s going to happen.”
Dureza said it was still too early to talk about an amnesty to the political prisoners.
“Amnesty is too premature…It can be at the endgame when the final peace agreement is forged,” he said.
Among those considered for the release were political consultants Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, top officials of the communist movement.
“As to whether or not they will eventually be released, [that] will depend really on the judicial procedure,” Dureza said.