Kodao Productions / News
June 18, 2017

Stalled formal peace negotiations between the Duterte government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) may resume in August, sources told Kodao Productions.

Following exchanges of “friendly” statements after Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) negotiators backed off from the scheduled fifth round of talks in The Netherlands last month, back-channel talks are reportedly ongoing in a bid to resume the talks in about two months.

“There is a possibility that the talks will be held in August,” a source involved in the negotiations said.

In his weekly Philippine Star column yesterday, NDFP independent observer and former chief negotiator Satur Ocampo wrote that both parties have agreed to resume the talks, adding the panels may issue their respective statements soon.

“A few days ago, it was learned that, through back channel talks, members of the two panels had resolved certain actual or perceived hindrances and agreed to continue the disrupted fifth round of negotiations within two months,” Ocampo reported.

He added that NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison already broke the “good news” in an interview with ANC Wednesday morning.

“He (Sison) said statements on the points of agreement arrived at during the back-channel talks can be expected to be officially issued separately by the panels,” Ocampo added.

No offensive operations

In a statement today, GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III declared that the Philippine government will not launch offensive operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) in response to the NDFP’s recommendation to the Communist Party of the Philippines to refrain from attacking the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police while the battle in Marawi City is ongoing.

“The Philippine government hereby correspondingly reciprocates with the same declaration of not undertaking offensive operations against the New People’s Army to pave way for the eventual signing of a mutually agreed bilateral ceasefire agreement and agreements on social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms and end of hostilities and disposition of forces towards a just and lasting peace,” Bello said.

Yesterday, the NDFP said it has already instructed its allied organization, the Moro Resistance and Liberation Organization (MRLO), inside Marawi City to assume home defense tasks against the Maute, Abu Sayyaf and AKP groups.

It added the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has also directed units of the New People’s Army (NPA) close to Marawi City to redeploy for the purpose of mopping up, holding and blocking operations, if necessary.

“For all forces to be able to concentrate against Maute, Abu Sayyaf and AKP groups, the NDFP has recommended to the CPP to order all other NPA units in Mindanao to refrain from carrying out offensive operations against the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), provided that the GRP order the AFP and PNP likewise to refrain from carrying out offensive operations against the NPA and people’s militia,” the NDFP said.

Bello said the GRP welcomes NDFP’s support to the fight against the Maute, Abu Sayyaf and Ansar al-Khalifah groups and other terrorist organizations wreaking havoc in Marawi City and other parts of the country.

“These voluntary gestures and expressions from the NDF in solidarity with government against acts of terrorism augur well for the desired continuation of the stalled 5th round of peace talks as they provide, if sustained, the needed enabling environment favorable to moving the peace negotiations forward,” Bello said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

UNITY STATEMENT
June 12, 2017

No to Terrorism!
Lift Martial Law!
Stop Aerial Bombings of Communities!
Stop Extrajudicial Killings!
Defend Human Rights!
Pursue the Peace Talks!

On June 12, Independence Day, we, concerned Filipinos from various faiths, sectors and political affiliations, will come together in a day of prayer and action to renew the call for peace and respect for human rights amidst the rising tide of terrorism, martial rule and impunity that threatens to rip the nation apart.

We extend our solidarity to the victims of the Marawi siege. We condemn the deliberate acts of terror by the ISIS-inspired Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups. We call on all people to come to the aid of thousands of internally displaced persons in Lanao del Sur and nearby areas.

Likewise, we gather to show our opposition to martial law in Mindanao and possibly other parts of the country. We call for an end to the aerial bombardment of Marawi and other conflict areas.

As the Marcos dictatorship showed, martial law is not the answer to the complex problems of Mindanao. A regime that trades Filipinos’ human rights for vague, ever moving law and order goals can only add fuel to armed rebellions and set back efforts to address the roots of the conflict. Martial law will further embolden law enforcers and state-sponsored vigilante and para-military groups to commit even more extrajudicial killings and curtail civil and political rights.

In the last year, atrocities have mounted nationwide. Filipinos are right to protest the murders of thousands in the drug war, as well as the extrajudicial killing of suspected rebels, ordinary farmers, indigenous peoples and Moro people in the counterinsurgency war. It is the poor that bear the brunt of these wars. It is the poor that are killed. It is their rights that are violated. It is their communities that are subject to aerial bombings and abuses during military and police operations.

As the poor suffer, the drug lords, the landgrabbers, big mining corporations, and their protectors in government, continue to get away with their crimes.

We likewise unite against the dangers of reimposing the death penalty and lowering of the age of criminal responsibility. Given the weaknesses and failures of our justice system, such measures will most likely further victimize the poor, weak and powerless.

Drug abuse, criminality, social unrest and rebellion are but symptoms of deep-seated, historical problems that cannot be solved by wars against the poor or the imposition of martial law. We need to address the roots of the problems – massive poverty, social injustice, corruption, and failure to assert national sovereignty and genuine independence.

In this light, we also call for the continuation of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Only by mutually addressing the roots of the armed conflicts can all parties hope to forge a just and lasting peace for our people.

We shall continue to pursue various paths to peace based on justice and the full respect for human rights. It is our hope and prayer that President Duterte and all government officials can still listen and change.

Initial signatories:

Current and Former Members of Congress:

Former Sen. Rene Saguisag                                 Former Sen. Wigberto Tañada
Former Sen. Nene Pimentel                                Former Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III
Rep. Carlos Zarate (PL- Bayan Muna)                Rep. Emmi de Jesus (PL – Gabriela)
Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL – Gabriela)                     Rep. Antonio Tino (PL – ACT Teachers)
Rep. Sarah Elago (PL – Kabataan)                       Former Rep. Neri Colmenares
Former Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III                         Former Rep. Teddy Casiño

Religious:

Bp. Broderick Pabillo, D.D.                                  Bp. Godofredo David, IFI
Bp. Joel Tendero, UCCP                                        Bp. Elorde Sambat, UCCP
Bp. Rodolfo Juan, UMC                                         Bp. Ciriaco Francisco, UMC
Bp. Alexander Wandag, ECP                                BP. Redeemer Yanez, IFI
Bp. Ernesto Tadly, IFI                                            Bp. Rudy Juliada, IFI
Bp. Melzar Labuntog, UCCP                                Bp. Antonio Ablon, IFI
Bp. Modesto Villasanta, UCCP                            Bp. Alger Loyao, IFI
Bp. Ronelio Fabriquier, IFI                                   Bp. Manuel Buenaventura, Jr., UMC
Sr. Mary John Mananzan, OSB                            Sr. Maureen Catabian, RGS
Rev. Mary Grace Masegman, IFI                         Rev. Irma Balaba, PCPR
Fr. Ben Alforque, MSC                                          Br. Jun Santiago III, CSsR
Fr. Gilbert Billena, Ocarm                                    Fr. Rolly de Leon, PCPR
Fr. Arvin Bellen, CMF Rev.                                    Fr. Jonash Joyohoy, IFI
Rt. Rev. Jonathan Casimina                                 Rev. Igmedio Domingo, UMC
Rev. Israel Painit, UMC

Lawyers:

Atty. Edre Olalia                                                     Atty. Ephraim Cortez

Artists:

Maria Isabel Lopez                                                Maria Carmen Sarmiento
Gabriela Lluch Dalena                                           Mae Paner

Human Rights Advocates and Sectoral leaders:

Cristina Palabay, Karapatan                                Dr. Carol Araullo, BAYAN
Renato Reyes, Jr., BAYAN                                     Mark Vincent Lim, CEGP

#StopTheKillings

#EndStateFascism

#PeaceTalksItuloy

National Day of Prayer and Action for Peace and Human Rights. Bonifacio Shrine. June 12, 2017

Davao Today
May 31, 2017

Please watch the video clip below:

https://philpeacecenter.net/Peace%20Negotiations/20170531%20dt%20-%20fa%20jms%20lj.htm

Kodao Philippines
May 31, 2017

PRESS RELEASE, 27 May 2017
Noordwijk aan Zee, The Netherlands

The NDFP and its delegation came to The Netherlands ready and willing to proceed with the fifth round of talks to work on the draft of CASER (Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms). Once more, the GRP succeeded in sidelining the substantive agenda on social and economic reforms by raising unreasonable demands.

Even before the fifth round could start, Jesus Dureza told the NDFP panel that the GRP panel would not “participate in the scheduled fifth round of talks unless there were clear indications that an enabling environment conducive to achieving just and sustainable peace in the land through peace negotiations across this table shall prevail.”

This seemingly vague statement was actually an ultimatum served on the NDFP to collapse the talks unless it submitted to the following demands: 1) that the CPP rescind its order to the NPA that was in the main responding to the intensified AFP military operations nation-wide before and after Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao and, 2) that the NDFP immediately sign a joint ceasefire agreement even without the necessary agreements on social, economic and political reforms in place. These unreasonable demands have disrupted the fifth round of formal talks.

The CPP order was in response to the intensified AFP operations and widespread human rights violations preceding and following the declaration of Martial Law in the whole of Mindanao. Duterte justified his action by citing as reason the terrorist actions of the Maute Group in Marawi City. But Lorenzana declared that the NPA was also a target of AFP military operations. Silvestre Bello made a subsequent clarification that Duterte had said that the Mindanao martial law was not aimed against the NPA.

However, the facts on the ground belie the clarification made by Bello. We quote from the NPA report sent to the NDFP panel:

The second demand for an immediate ceasefire is unreasonable because there are no agreements on reforms in place but also because it one-sidedly demands from the NPA to stop fighting while the AFP continues its all-out war against the NPA and the people. There is impunity in carrying out atrocities against the masses in the rural areas and the ensuing widespread human rights violations under martial law. The GRP also has to comply with long standing agreements on release of political prisoners.

What is even more objectionable to the GRP demand to rush the NDFP into signing an immediate ceasefire agreement is the fact that it is imposed as a precondition to moving ahead with negotiations on CASER the main item scheduled for the fifth round and considered as the meat of the whole peace negotiations. This, in effect, delays the forging of urgently needed social, economic and political reforms which could provide the most enduring basis for peace and social justice.

The NDFP is ready to resume the fifth round of formal talks on the substantive agenda of social and economic reforms when the other side is willing to do so. #

Reference:
Fidel V. Agcaoili
Chairperson
NDFP Negotiating Panel

Ambush interview with Luis Jalandoni on the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and the GRP Negotiating Panel’s cancellation of the fifth round of talks with the NDFP.

Video from Kodao Philippines
May 27, 2017

Kodao Productions
May 27, 2017

NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, The Netherlands—The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) announced they “would not proceed to participate” in the fifth round of formal peace negotiations until some conditions are met by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

“(We) will not proceed to participate in the scheduled fifth round of peace negotiations until such time as there are clear indications that an enabling environment conducive to achieving just and sustainable peace in the land through peace negotiations across this table shall prevail,” the GRP, through Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, said.

Dureza cited the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) order to the New People’s Army (NPA) to further intensify its military operations against GRP forces as a “defiant, blatant and serious challenge to the Duterte administration” as a reason for their decision.

“We want the CPP to retract their directive to the NPA,” Dureza said.

The GRP also said they are “suggesting” to the NDFP that a bilateral ceasefire agreement is signed during the round.

This is the second time the GRP submitted to its counterpart a set of demands before a formal opening to a round of formal peace negotiations.

The fourth round of talks in this city last April was postponed by a day while the parties looked for ways to respond to President Rodrigo Duterte’s four “barest conditionalities”.

“Defense of the people”

The CPP earlier ordered the NPA to “defend the people” against a possible increase of human rights violations, especially after Duterte’s May 22 martial law declaration over the whole of Mindanao.

The CPP also reacted to National Defense secretary Delfin’s Lorenzana’s statement that the NPA was among the targets of Duterte’s martial law.

GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III, however, said they have already “clarified that the NPA is not among the targets of Duterte’s martial law declaration.”

Lorenzana on Saturday, May 27, said the Armed Forces of the Philippines “will not specifically target” the NPA in the government’s martial law implementation in Mindanao.

Lorenzana issued the media statement a few hours before the scheduled opening of the fifth round of formal talks and in response to NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison’s call for the GRP and the NDFP forces to unite against terrorism.

5th round still possible

The NDFP through its spokesperson Luis Jalandoni said that should the fifth round of negotiations are cancelled, “the decision was made by the GRP.”

In an interview, Jalandoni said the GRP’s demand to the CPP is a new one and it was not included in their April 6 Joint Statement that the fifth round of talks shall focus on the socio-economic reforms agenda.

He added that a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement also must only come after ground rules for its implementation have been forged by the parties.

“We are supposed to be talking while fighting like the parties have successfully done in the past, especially during the Ramos regime,” Jalandoni said.

NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said they are still trying to find ways for the 5th round to proceed but “will not be blackmailed into agreeing into a premature bilateral ceasefire agreement.”

GRP panel member Hernani Braganza said there is still hope for the round as long as both panels are in this city and are still willing to talk. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

National Democratic Front of the Philippines
26 May 2017

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) has clarified that the New People’s Army (NPA) is not a target of the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, contrary to an earlier statement by GRP DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, in the fight against terrorist groups such as the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf that are attempting to affiliate with the CIA-created ISIS or Daesh.

Such clarification is in accord with the message relayed to us by President Duterte when we met last 9 May in Malacañang that the fight against terrorist groups such as Maute and Abu Sayyaf should be a common concern of the GRP and NDFP.

In response to the GRP clarification, the NDFP has recommended to the National Executive Committee of the NDFP and, in effect, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to reconsider its call for the intensification of offensives in Mindanao.

The NDFP is prepared to unite with the GRP in the fight against groups that are terrorist because they mainly target, terrorize and harm civilians. The scheduled fifth round of talks from 27 May to 1 June would be an opportune occasion to discuss such cooperation and coordination for the immediate benefit of the people.

In this regard, we urge the GRP to reconsider its martial law declaration in Mindanao and intention to impose it elsewhere because military rule, as our own history as a people has shown, will not solve the problems of the people in the social, economic and political spheres.

We hope that the scheduled round of talks would push through and be successful in this regard.

Reference:
Fidel Agcaoili
NDFP Panel Chairperson
Contact No: 0031641324348
May 26, 2017

Statement by Sowing the Seeds of Peace in Mindanao
Reposted from Davao Today
May. 25, 2017

Sowing the Seeds of Peace opposes the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. Martial Law throws out the headways in the peace processes between the Philippine government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front, and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

The complexity of the Bangsamoro question has been emphasized anew with the eruption of the crisis in the Islamic City of Marawi, Lanao del Sur. The MILF had warned of the “radicalization” of Moro groups due to the Aquino government’s failure to ensure the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Militaries and governments in Europe and the United States are facing the specter of terrorism because these armed groups are the Frankensteins they have unleashed in their proxy wars for oil and resources.

Imposing Martial Law is a simplistic, militaristic, and an ahistorical approach to the persistence of the Bangsamoro problem. This Martial Law engineered by the triumvirate of Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, and AFP chief of staff Eduardo Ano are burning the haystack to find the needle. They purposely blur the lines between the Maute and Abu Sayaf groups from the rest of the Bangsamoro people to justify their continuing fascism in Moroland. They also put to waste the social investments of the legitimate Bangsamoro groups in the peace process.

It is simplistic because it takes away recognition of the social dimensions of the continuing oppression of the Bangsamoro and their search for genuine autonomy; it reduces it into a peace and order issue. It incites Islamophobia and anti-Moro hysteria instead of forging unity against terrorism. It is militaristic as it levels up all previous all-out war approaches since the time of President Joseph Estrada. Allowing civilians with licensed firearms to respond to perceived threats will let loose paramilitarism and vigilantism which claimed many lives in the ILAGA wars of the 1970s-80s. It is ahistorical because it fails to remember that the Bangsamoro armed resistance was fertilized by Martial Law itself as preluded by the Jabidah Massacre in 1968 and from there grew in scope and intensity.

The Marcosian Martial Law of 1972 and Martial Law circa 2017 are both founded on the military’s arrogation unto itself as the “protector of the people”. History repeats itself with this continuing delusion of the AFP. The Filipino people will never forget the fact that Marcos staged martial law through fake ambuscades and assassination attempts.

The “siege” of Marawi as a justification for Martial Law in Mindanao is no different from the Marcos-time martial law it is mimicking and which the President promises to be as “harsh.” The declaration of Martial law in Mindanao was based on flimsy grounds, as the AFP contradicts itself by its own claims. AFP chief of staff General Ano had said the actions of the 50-ish Abu Sayaf-Maute armed group was for diversion from an earlier armed raid on a terrorist leader. There was no clear invasion and rebellion, therefore, to justify this imposition as required by the Constitution.

On the peace talks with the NDFP, the imposition of Martial Law now appears to be Plan B or an override of the interim ceasefire to be tackled in the 5th round of negotiations in The Netherlands. Why else would the GRP need a ceasefire if Martial Law is already in place? Secretary Lorenzana had made it clear that Martial Law is not just after the Abu Sayaf-Maute group but is also aimed at the NPA problem. This goes against the peace talks’ rationale of addressing the roots of armed conflict. Additionally, Martial Law puts into serious doubt the implementation of a socio-economic reform package that may be signed. Social and economic reforms, like free land distribution, simply cannot take place in an environment where an armalite rifle hovers above a farmer’s head.

We urge the President to lift this declaration. We oppose its imposition on the whole nation.

Signed.

BISHOP FELIXBERTO CALANG SR. MA. LUZ MALLO, m.a.
Main Convenor Convenor

BISHOP MELZAR LABUNTOG SR. NOEMI P. DEGALA, SMSM
Convenor Convenor

BISHOP HAMUEL TEQUIS BISHOP MODESTO VILLASANTA
Convenor Convenor

BISHOP REDEEMER YANEZ REV. RECTO LARA BAGUIO
Convenor Convenor

13 May 2017/in News, Statements /
NDFP Media Office | Press release |
May 13, 2017

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) denounced a series of incidents involving a number of its consultants, saying these are flagrant violations of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). The JASIG, which was signed in 1995, provides all duly accredited NDFP consultants immunity from surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation and “any other similar punitive actions due to any involvement or participation in the peace negotiations.” The guarantees extend to persons who assist them in the performance of their work in the peace talks.

NDFP panel chair Fidel Agcaoili cited the tailing of fellow panel member Benito Tiamzon and NDFP political consultant Wilma Tiamzon on Tuesday night after they visited Lapanday farm workers who were camped out at Mendiola. The Tiamzons were reportedly tailed by two men aboard an RS motorcycle with partial license plate number 2419. They tried to shake off their tail for about half an hour before deciding to return to the Mendiola camp out, from where friends and comrades helped them evade their pursuers. The Tiamzons noticed that the back rider was constantly talking to someone on his cellphone while tailing them.

At the camp out, witnesses observed the motorcyle riders following the Tiamzons mingling with the crowd. They were reportedly backed up by at least two other teams of two men each who also monitored the Tiamzon couple’s movements.

The Tiamzons had also just come from an audience with President Rodrigo Duterte at Malacañang the night they were followed.

It was the third JASIG violation reported by the Tiamzons. They were also tailed in March after their arrival from backchannel talks in The Netherlands. Earlier, suspected military agents had interrogated the driver of a rented car used by the Tiamzons upon their arrival last January from the third round of peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

Other NDFP consultants who have also complained of surveillance include Ruben Saluta, Concha Araneta, Tirso Alcantara, Ernesto Lorenzo and Kennedy Bangibang.
Agcaoili urged the GRP to look seriously into these incidents and take whatever measures are necessary, saying that they may have severe repercussions on the ongoing peace negotiations.

He moreover expressed “grave concern” about reports that the military in Northern Mindanao had issued shoot-to-kill orders against NDFP consultant Pedro Codaste and that the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command was planning to abduct Porferio Tuna, another Mindanao-based consultant.

Agcaoili also slammed the illegal arrest last Thursday evening of NDFP consultant ROMMEL SALINAS as another clear violation of JASIG. Salinas, who was arrested at a police checkpoint in Ozamiz City is the holder of Document of Identification Number ND 978453 under the name of Hermie Abella. He was arrested in the company of a bishop of the Philippine Independent Church and two others. ###

Reference:
Fidel Agcaoili
NDFP Panel Chairperson
Contact No. 0919-860-4324