Gov’t set for resumption of peace talks in April

THE Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) is set to meet next week to prepare for the fourth round of formal peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) in April.

Lawyer Antonio Arellano, GRP peace negotiator, said on Wednesday, March 15, during the Mindanao Peace Forum held at Mais Hall of Homitori Inn in Davao City that the panel will meet in preparation for the renewed talks with the NDF.

Arellano said the talks will tackle the Comprehensive Agreement in Socioeconomic Reforms (Caser) and the Comprehensive Agreement in Political and Constitutional reforms.

“They are interrelated, the most sensitive topic will be the Caser because it will tackle socio-economic reforms,” he said.

Arellano said a signing of the Caser should not be expected after the talks because of the complexity of the topic.

“Hindi pa siguro. We cannot just resolve complex issues summarily, it goes to the root of the rebellion,” he said.

He said there is no specific timeline for the agreement but they are hopeful that it will be accomplished in the next six months because drafts are already being prepared by both panels.

Arellano said the draft of the Caser from the GRP was crafted by 14 professors who are all experts in their particular field.

Arellano added both panels have yet to discuss how they will be able to reconcile the Casers of GRP and NDF.

On the issue of unilateral ceasefire, Arellano said, they cannot cite violations even with the recent NPA atrocities since there is no bilateral ceasefire yet.

“Kanya-kanya kasi ang (each has)violation, hindi mo rin masabi na violation kasi walang (but we can’t say that it’s a violation since there’s no) agreement, siguro (maybe) violation by their own directive. Each respective party will have to discipline their own forces,” he said.

Arellano said this calls also for the signing of the bilateral ceasefire agreement. He said bilateral committees for the bilateral ceasefire and Caser of each panels conduct their own meetings to hasten the proceedings of the talks.

“They frequently meet, because the bilateral mechanism is very sensitive, you cannot rush it especially it means the lives of people,” he said.

Arellano said the talks are undeterred with the recent bus bombing reported after the back talks last March 11 and 12, 2017.

As for the release of political prisoners, Arellano said they are doing their part to find the means to free prisoners with proper legal procedures.

According to Satur Ocampo, an independent cooperator of the NDFP, the commitment of the GRP to free political prisoners is among the conditions why the NDFP allowed the pursuance of the talks. Ocampo suggested that the implementation of the agreements must be done immediately.

Professor Jose Maria Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and Chief Political Consultant of the NDF, expressed his deep appreciation to President Rodrigo Duterte for deciding to continue the talks.

He said the pursuance of the peace talks are of the people’s interest and the final peace agreement should uphold the sovereignty and the independence of the Filipino people.

Sison’s message was relayed Wednesday before the peace advocates all over Mindanao who attended the Mindanao Peace Forum organized by Sowing the Seeds of Peace composed of seven organizations pushing for the peace talks.

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