Kodao Productions
January 26, 2017

 ROME, Italy—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) concluded their “difficult but successful” round of formal peace talks a week after it opened, five days of which were spent in “exacting” negotiations.

The parties said they achieved advances on six major issues listed on their January 18 common agenda:

• Breakthrough in the discussion of socio-economic reforms and achieving understanding on its first four items, including agrarian reform and rural development;

• Signing of the ground rules on the work of the Reciprocal Working Committees (RWC)   on Socio-Economic Reforms (SER);

• Exchange of drafts and initial discussions on political and constitutional reforms;

• Signing of supplemental guidelines on the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) for the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International  Humanitarian Law;

• Submission by the GRP of its proposal for a bilateral ceasefire and the parties’ agreement to discuss it on February in The Netherlands; and

• Agreement to a fourth round of formal peace talks in Oslo, Norway in the first week of April.

The parties likewise talked about the release of the 392 NDFP-listed political prisoners with the GRP again committing to facilitate the release of three remaining NDFP consultants Eduardo Sarmiento, Emeterio Antalan and Leopoldo Caloza through presidential clemency or other legal means.

The GRP and the NDFP also discussed the possible implementation of socio-economic projects in relation to the Joint Agreement in Support of Socioeconomic Projects of Private Development Organizations and Institutes of March 16, 1998.

“The parties have been constructive and solution-oriented. And it is very clear to us as Third Party Facilitators that both sides are genuinely committed to work towards achieving peace,” Royal Norwegian Government Special Envoy to the Philippine Peace Process Elisabeth Slattum said.

“Well, it has been difficult but successful. That is the only way I can describe this round,” NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said.

Agcaoili clarified though that he expected the successful conclusion of the negotiations on the supplemental guidelines on the JMC, the tentative agreement on the PCR, the movement on the discussion on SER as well as on its ground rules.

“Free distribution of land”

As expected, negotiations on socio-economic reforms took center stage in the Rome round of talks.

“The RWCs-SER agreed in principle to the free distribution of land to farmers and farm workers as part of the governing frame of CASER (Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms),” the parties’ Joint Statement on the Successful Third Round of Formal Talks Between the GRP and NDFP in Rome, Italy said.

Earlier, the RWCs-SER reaffirmed their earlier agreement on the Preamble and the Declaration of Principles (Part I) as the framework of the CASER.

They also identified points of agreement on Bases, Scope and Applicability (Part II) and reaffirmed their approval of Part II entitled Desired Outcomes.

The committees also reached a common understanding on the general features of the agrarian problems in the Philippines, incorporated in the Part IV of the discussions which included land distribution issues.

“While our discussions in the past days have been exacting, we were not deterred from exploring new ways and other platforms to advance the talks,” GRP panel chairperson Silvestre Bello III said in describing the success of the round.

The CASER ground rules “display our seriousness to tackle the agreement on socio-economic reforms,” Bello said.

Joma “recovering well”

The eight page Joint Statement however is silent on the announced plan of the GRP to request the United States government to delist NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison from its terror list.

Sison was absent in a formal peace talks closing ceremony for the first time in 25 years,

“We would like to inform you that the chief political consultant of the NDFP, Prof. Jose Maria Sison, was hospitalized last night,” Slattum said.

“But we can assure you that he is recovering well. And I think I speak for everybody when I say we hope that he would be back on his feet in the next few days,” she added to loud applause in the hall.

Bello asked the participants and witnesses of the closing ceremony to offer a minute of prayer for the fast recovery of Sison.

Bello and GRP panel member Angela Trinidad had to leave the ceremony early to fly to Kuwait to try to save the life of a Filipino set to be executed in the said country. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

NDFP International Information Office
25 January 2017/in News /

The Negotiating Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), together with their respective delegations of negotiating bodies, consultants, advisors, resource persons, cooperators and staff successfully held the third round of formal talks in Rome City from January 19 to 25, 2017. The third round was facilitated by the Royal Norwegian Government (RNG) in cooperation with the Italian Government.

At the opening ceremonies on January 19, RNG Ambassador to the Philippines Erik Førner and RNG Special Envoy to the Philippine Peace Process Elisabeth Slåttum welcomed the two delegations. They commended the two Parties for their hard work in the second round of the formal talks in Oslo and reiterated the commitment of the RNG of its continuing support to the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.

The opening statements of the two Parties were made by the following: GRP OPAPP Secretary Jesus G. Dureza, NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison, GRP Negotiating Panel Chairperson Silvestre H. Bello III, NDFP Negotiating Panel Chairperson Fidel V. Agcaoili and RNG Special Envoy Ambassador Elisabeth Slåttum.

In her opening statement, RNG Special Envoy to the Philippine Peace Process, Ambassador Elisabeth Slattum, congratulated both Panels for their commitment in working for peace in the country. She commended the two sides for declaring their respective unilateral indefinite ceasefires. The Ambassador reiterated the RNG’s commitment to be with the two Parties for the duration of the peace negotiations.

The Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Secretary Jesus G. Dureza after thanking the RNG passed on part of his speaking turn to GRP Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr., who expressed his support to the peace process. Sec. Yasay also expressed his admiration for Professor Joma Sison and his elation for having met with him personally.

In his opening statement, Professor Sison expressed his continued declaration that the two Panels can negotiate in a non-adversarial way and overcome any obstacle by addressing the root causes of the armed conflict. He also acknowledged his appreciation for last year’s release of detained NDFP consultants and the expectation for the release of the hundreds of political prisoners. Further, he cited that the concurrent or reciprocal unilateral declarations of ceasefire by the GRP and NDFP can easily be turned into a more stable bilateral ceasefire upon the release of all political prisoners by the GRP in compliance with the CARHRIHL. He likewise expressed NDFP’s concerns on the burial of former President Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani and violation of the CARHRIHL and the ceasefire.

Professor Sison was hopeful that within six months the CASER shall already be ready for signing, while the NDFP views political and constitutional reforms can take good and viable examples from both unitary and federal forms of state. He said that the NDFP can go along with President Duterte’s proposal for a federal form of government provided certain safeguards were put in place like the prohibition of puppetry, dictatorship, graft and corruption, dynasty building and warlordism.
He pointed out the advantage of having the CASER and CAPCR signed and approved by the principals within the first two years of the Duterte Government is that these agreements shall be implemented for at least two years before the end of said government. If implemented to the satisfaction of the Filipino people and the NDFP, these agreements shall lay the full basis of the Comprehensive Agreement on End of Hostilities and Disposition of Forces as early as 2020-2021.

On the part of the GRP Panel Chairperson, Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, he expressed the readiness of the Panel to exchange and discuss the Government’s draft agreements on CASER, CAPCR and CAEHDF, through its Working Committee/Groups, and finalize the Supplemental Guidelines for the full operation of the Joint Monitoring Committee of the CARHRIHL as well as the draft agreement on the bilateral ceasefire. Secretary Bello also expressed the readiness of the Panel to discuss and address the issues confronting the talks such as prisoner release, implementation of the reconstructed JASIG list and the amnesty proclamation. He capped his statement by thanking the support of the RNG Third Party Facilitator, and expressed his expectation for a cordial but frank, rigorous but productive discussions.

The NDFP Panel Chairperson, Fidel V. Agcaoili, declared the NDFP Panel’s readiness to push the negotiations forward and even accelerate the process of forging mutually acceptable comprehensive agreements on the most important topics of socio-economic reforms and political and constitutional reforms. He noted however, certain serious obstacles that are needed to be hurdled if mutual trust and confidence are to be maintained so that negotiations can move forward. He repeatedly raised the issue of the release of all the NDFP-listed prisoners, and expressed appreciation for the support of the RNG to the peace talks.

Before going into the first item on the agenda of the third round of formal talks, a delegation from both Parties met to discuss certain outstanding issues and concrete measures to facilitate the peace negotiations. They discussed the issues of release of political prisoners and of socio-economic projects in relation to the Joint Agreement in Support of Socioeconomic Projects of Private Development Organizations and Institutes of March 16, 1998. The Parties discussed the signing of CASER with issues of the amnesty of political prisoners and the signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement.

On Implementation of CARHRIHL and JASIG

The two Parties agreed to strictly comply with the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), the first major agreement signed by the Parties in accordance with the 4-item substantive agenda as provided for in The Hague Joint Declaration.

In this connection, the Joint Monitoring Committee discussed and finalized the Supplemental Guidelines for the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC). (Annex A) The Guidelines were subsequently signed by the respective Panel Chairpersons, Monitoring Committees, Supervising Panel Members and witnessed by the Third Party Facilitator. These Supplementary Guidelines will guide and fully operationalize the work of the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) in its task of monitoring the implementation of, and achieving, the objectives of CARHRIHL in upholding and promoting human rights and international humanitarian law.

These Guidelines supplement the Operational Guidelines for the JMC of 14 February 2004 and the Partial Supplemental Guidelines for the JMC of 24 June 2004 governing the monitoring mechanism of the implementation of the CARHRIHL.

In the first working session of the two negotiating panels, the NDFP raised the following issues regarding the GRP’s implementation of the CARHRIHL and JASIG:

The NDFP panel cited with concern the urgency for the GRP to repeal the remaining repressive Marcos decrees that continue to be used against political prisoners and the people; non-observance of the Hernandez political offense doctrine prohibiting the criminalization of acts in pursuit of one’s political beliefs; the perceived political rehabilitation of Marcos and its implications to the rendering of justice for the Martial Law victims; the incidents of occupying schools, barangay halls, and other civilian structures in the rural communities as part of GRP’s Oplan Bayanihan; and the due process issues in relation to the GRP’s anti-drug campaign.

The NDFP panel also cited the continuing detention of three NDFP consultants promised presidential pardon and the surveillance and harassment of NDFP consultants participating in the ongoing peace talks.

The NDFP panel conveyed that violations of the GRP unilateral ceasefire covering more than 500 barangays were increasingly endangering the peace talks.

The NDFP panel requested for a copy of the official document on Oplan Kapayapaan that replaces the Oplan Bayanihan of the Aquino administration. The GRP Panel clarified that Oplan Kapayapaan is not operational yet, having been submitted to the authorities concerned but not yet approved.

The NDFP Panel Chairperson previously submitted on November 28, 2016 and January 4, 2017 to the GRP documented complaints of ceasefire violations.

The GRP panel responded by giving its assurance that the GRP acknowledges having signed the CARHRIHL and its commitment to comply with its obligations under the said Agreement. If there are any reported violations of the Agreement on the part of the GRP, these should all be put into writing and submitted to the GRP Panel, which will then study these reports and take the appropriate action. The panel stated that there is no conscious policy on the part of GRP to violate the CARHRIHL and JASIG.

The GRP panel assured the NDFP that the aforementioned three NDFP consultants will be released. With regard to the surveillance and harassment of NDFP consultants, the AFP-Peace and Development Office (AFP-PDO) replied that the AFP recognizes the safety and immunity guarantees of the NDFP consultants. With regard to the reported occupation of schools, hospitals and communities, the AFP-PDO replied that AFP troops went into the communities upon the invitation of local government units, escorting civilian agencies delivering services to the communities.

The GRP Panel explained that the internment of the Marcos remains at the Libingan ng mga Bayani was not intended to politically rehabilitate him. With regard to the indemnification of Marcos human rights victims, the GRP pointed out that the President has taken a direct hand at speeding up the processing and ensuring that a significant number would immediately be given their indemnification.

On the other hand, the GRP Panel Chairperson handed to the NDFP Panel Chairperson a copy of the GRP documented complaints on ceasefire violations committed by the NDFP.

On Amnesty and Releases

The NDFP Panel followed-up the status of the amnesty proclamation of all political prisoners (as listed by the NDFP) and reiterated that it is the most expeditious way of releasing them.

The Parties agreed to continue to study the issuance of an amnesty proclamation consequent to the substantial progress of the peace negotiations.

The GRP Panel also committed to facilitate the release of the three remaining NDFP consultants, Eduardo Sarmiento, Emeterio Antalan and Leopoldo Caloza, through presidential clemency, and other legal modes.

The GRP, with the assistance of the defense lawyers, shall expeditiously process the release of all the political prisoners listed by the NDFP starting with the 200 qualified prisoners either through bail, recognizance, pardon or other legal processes in compliance with the CARHRIHL and to allow them to participate in activities and mechanisms of the peace process.

The GRP team committed to file immediately the necessary manifestations in support of the motions for the temporary liberty of the NDFP consultants and staff granted bail and released in August 2016 be extended and remain effective for the duration of the peace negotiations.

Results of the Proceedings of the RWCs-SER

The GRP and NDFP Reciprocal Working Committees on Social and Economic Reforms (RWCs-SER) met on January 20 to 21, and 23 to 24, 2017, together with their respective consultants and resource persons.

The RWCs-SER had exchanged their complete drafts of the CASER more or less ten days before the opening of the third round of formal talks.

The RWCs-SER reaffirmed their April 2004 agreement on the Preamble and the Declaration of Principles (Part I) as the framework of the CASER, provided that the unresolved provisions, including new insertions of the NDFP, will be elevated to the negotiating panels for their resolution.

Discussions on the Bases, Scope and Applicability (Part II) were substantially made and points of agreement were identified. The reaffirmation of Part III entitled Desired Outcomes, which was approved during the second round of talks, was made.

The RWCs-SER also started discussions on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (Part IV). They reached a common understanding on the general features of the agrarian problems in the Philippines.

The RWCs-SER agreed in principle to the free distribution of land to farmers and farm workers as part of the governing frameworks of CASER.

For the purpose of accelerating the negotiation process of the CASER, the RWCs-SER agreed to the creation of bilateral teams to help reconcile contentious provisions in the GRP and NDFP drafts and/or provisions which have no corresponding equivalent in each RWCs’ exchanged drafts. The bilateral teams shall submit to their respective RWCs the necessary recommendations.

The bilateral teams may hold meetings in Metro Manila, Philippines, or in any mutually agreed upon venue in the Philippines, or in any neighboring country.

The Panels and RWCs-SER signed on 25 January 2017 the Ground Rules for the Conduct of the Formal Meetings between the RWCs-SER of the GRP and the NDFP. (Annex B)

In the next round of formal talks, the RWCs-SER shall discuss the remaining items under the Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (Part IV), National Industrialization and Economic Development (Part V), Environmental Protection, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Part VI), and the outputs of the bilateral teams.

Results of the Proceedings of the RWGs-PCR

The Reciprocal Working Groups (RWGs) on Political and Constitutional Reforms (PCR) met twice and formally exchanged full drafts of the tentative Agreement on PCR based on the common outline agreed upon during the last round of talks in October 2016. This surpassed the earlier expectation that the RWGs would only enflesh the said outline in the third round.

The RWGs assisted by their consultants, staff and observers, ran through their respective drafts highlighting their main points, proposed mechanisms and framework.

They exchanged initial and general views, opinions and comments as well as questions on certain provisions of their drafts.

They exchanged views on the proposal for a federal form of government and the need for certain constitutional guarantees and safeguards demanded by the people.

Thereafter, they exchanged and presented their respective comparative matrices of the drafts.

They also agreed to hold unilateral meetings of the RWGs to rewrite their respective drafts and matrices taking into account the drafts that they have exchanged.

The RWGs acknowledged that the tentative drafts shall be subject to the developments in the crafting of the CASER.

They agreed to meet again during the fourth round of formal talks and work on a common matrix as a reference for discussions.

Meeting of the Ceasefire Committees

The NDFP ceasefire committee (CFC) formally acknowledged receiving the GRP CFC draft “Agreement on an Interim Bilateral Cessation of Hostilities Between the GRP and the NDFP”. It said that it will seriously study the proposal, submit comments and may provide its own updated version of its proposed draft agreement for an interim bilateral ceasefire.

NDFP Panel Chairperson Fidel V. Agcaoili handed a letter addressed to GRP Panel Chairperson Silvestre H. Bello III formally protesting the AFP military operation in Makilala, North Cotabato as a violation of the ongoing ceasefire.

The Parties note that their unilateral indefinite ceasefires remain in place. They note however that there are issues and concerns related thereto.

The two CFCs agreed to meet again during the period on February 22-27, 2017 in The Netherlands simultaneous to the opening of the bank safety deposit box account for safekeeping of the JASIG documents of identification.

Fourth Round of Formal Talks

The Parties agreed to meet for the fourth round of formal talks in Oslo, Norway on April 2-6, 2017. They shall continue to work on strengthening the mechanisms in the implementation of CARHRIHL and the unification of the drafts of CASER and CAPCR.

Expression of Gratitude to RNG

Both Panels reiterated their appreciation and gratitude to the Royal Norwegian Government (RNG) for its unrelenting support to and active facilitation of the peace talks which have allowed both sides to move these forward. They also thanked the RNG for the two international experts that they provided who shared their insights on peace negotiations that the Parties may find useful.

Once more they expressed their gratitude to the RNG for its consistent and substantial facilitation and support for the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations as well as to the Italian government for its cooperation and support.

Signed on the 25th day of January 2017 in the City of Rome, Italy.

Signatories:

Sec. Silvestre H. Bello III                                    Fidel V. Agcaoili
Chairperson of the GRP Panel                          Chairperson of the NDFP Panel

Hernani A. Braganza                                          Julieta S. de Lima
Member, GRP Panel                                          Member, NDFP Panel

Rene V. Sarmiento                                             Coni K. Ledesma
Member, GRP Panel                                          Member, NDFP Panel

Angela L. Trinidad                                              Asterio B. Palima
Member, GRP Panel                                          Member, NDFP Panel

Sedfrey M. Candelaria                                       Benito E. Tiamzon
*alternate member, GRP Panel                         Member, NDFP Panel

WITNESSES:

Sec. Jesus G. Dureza                                       Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process      NDFP Chief Political Consultant

Mayor Edgardo D. Pamintuan                          Luis G. Jalandoni
Adviser, GRP Panel                                          Senior Adviser, NDFP Panel

Elisabeth Slåttum

Third Party Facilitator

For the Royal Norwegian Government

 

Kodao Productions
March 9, 2017

NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel member Benito Tiamzon and consultants Wilma Austria Tiamzon and Vicente Ladlad will soon leave for Europe to participate in the ongoing backchannel talks with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

In a speech at the National Defense College earlier today, Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also announced Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza has left for Europe last night to lead the GRP delegation in the talks for the possible resumption of formal peace negotiations between the parties.

“Yesterday, Secretary Dureza left for Europe again. And, last night, we allowed the departure of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and Mr. Ladlad to do some back-channelling,” Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said the government is listening to the public clamor for the resumption of the peace negotiations.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced last Tuesday informal talks are being held to resume the formal negotiations he suspended last month.

“Hang on…Do not spoil. I must admit there’s a back-channelling,” Duterte told reporters in a chance interview.

NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili for his part said the six government troopers captured by the New People’s Army will soon be freed as soon as the GRP orders the suspension of military and police operations in areas where the releases are to be held.

Agcaoili said the release of captured GRP soldiers is proof of NDFP’s good faith in the ongoing back-channel negotiations. (Report and photo by Raymund B. Villanueva)

Kodao Productions /news
February 21, 2017

THE National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) assured each other today of their mutual desire for peace in the country, even as scheduled formal negotiations have been cancelled.

In a statement, GRP peace adviser Jesus Dureza announced that President Rodrigo Duterte met with NDFP-nominated members of his cabinet in Malacañan Palace last night.

“The President reiterated his desire and passion (for) bringing about just, lasting, and inclusive peace in the land,” Dureza said.

Dureza said he met with the President, labor and employment secretary and GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III as well as agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano, social work and development secretary Judy Taguiwalo and anti-poverty commission lead convenor Liza Masa “until late last night.”

He said the meeting discussed directions and possible next steps in their peace engagements with the Left as well as the Bangsamoro, Cordillerans and others.

“He (Duterte) gave specific instructions on how to deal with the present situation, including possible next steps following the cancellation of peace talks and the unilateral ceasefire declarations,” Dureza said.

NDFP chief peace negotiator Fidel Agcaoili for his part said they are one with Duterte in wanting to lay the foundation for a just and lasting peace in the country.

In an interview, Agcaoili said peace can be achieved through the forging of agreements on basic social, economic and political reforms that would truly benefit the Filipino people.

“Uninformed”

Dureza’s statement, however, was silent about presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella’s remarks at a Palace briefing yesterday enumerating “four conditions” that would convince the GRP to resume formal negotiations with the NDFP.

Abella said the Communist Party of the Philippines and its New People’s Army must stop collecting “revolutionary tax,” ambushing Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel, burning of property, and provocative and hostile actions.

Agcaoili, for his part, dismissed Abella’s remarks, saying the secretary’s list are not preconditions but are actually subject matters the GRP would like to discuss in the crafting of the bilateral ceasefire agreement.

“The NDFP, of course, has its own subject matters for discussion in crafting the bilateral ceasefire agreement,” Agcaoili said.

He mentioned the encroachment of the military and the police on communities, the illegal arrest and detention of legal activists and development workers, the extrajudicial killings of Lumad and peasant leaders, the continuing arrest and detention of Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees- protected persons, the release and amnesty of all political prisoners in accordance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, among others.

“Sec. Abella is (also) uninformed or misinformed on the status of the negotiations on the draft agreement on social and economic reforms and the tentative draft agreement on political and constitutional reforms,” Agcaoili said.

“Otherwise he would not say what he stated,” he added.

The GRP and the NDFP are supposed to meet in The Netherlands starting tomorrow to discuss the government’s proposal for a bilateral ceasefire agreement as well as hold the fourth round of formal talks in Oslo, Norway in April. (Raymund B. Villanueva/Featured photo by OPAPP)

130 congressmen want the Philippine government and communists to return to the negotiating table

RAPPLER.COM :  Mara Cepeda
February 21, 2017

MANILA, Philippines – The House committee on peace, reconciliation, and unity approved a resolution calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to continue peace talks with communists.

Voting 8-0-0, the panel gave its nod to House Resolution Number 769, which has been signed by 130 congressmen.

The lawmakers believe the President should continue the peace negotiations because the “Duterte administration [has] reached remarkable and unparalleled headway” compared to past administrations.

“Terminating the same would only put to waste the unprecedented, positive, and substantial gains the peace talks have reached,” said the lawmakers.

“It is highly imperative that this Congress hear the Filipino people’s desire to support the resumption of the peace negotiations. It is just and lasting peace itself that is the very compelling reason to continue the peace negotiations,” they added.

Duterte scrapped the peace talks after the New People’s Army withdrew from a 5-month-old ceasefire.

The government also issued a notice to cancel an agreement giving some rebels immunity from arrest – the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees. (READ: Rebels reject ‘improper’ notice to cancel talks, JASIG)

The President met with leftist Cabinet members on Monday night, February 20, to discuss the breakdown of talks with communist rebels.

Chief presidential peace adviser Secretary Jesus Dureza said Duterte “vowed to work for a strategic shift during his incumbency.” – with reports from Carmela Fonbuena / Rappler.com

Kodao Productions
February 10, 2017

NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison asked Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) President Rodrigo Duterte to allow efforts to clear the air in the face of escalating tension between the two parties following the Duterte government’s declaration of an all-out war against the Left.

Sison proposed to his former student “to consult thoroughly with his negotiating panel and the peace advocates in his own cabinet and others outside of his government and encourage and allow back-channelling efforts to clarify misunderstandings and solve immediately the current problems.”

“President Duterte’s announcements to consider the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines), NPA (New People’s Army) and NDFP as terrorist organizations and to terminate the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) have the effect of terminating the entire GRP-NDFP peace negotiations,” Sison said.

“I believe that President Duterte’s reaction should not have gone this far,” he added.

Sison said he can understand the role of President Duterte in reacting as GRP president and Commander-in-Chief as simply performing his duty to speak and act in the interest of his government and express concern for his troops.

“But there should have been a measure of restraint in his reaction in order to preserve the GRP-NDF peace process,” Sison advised.

Sison added that the third party facilitator, the Royal Norwegian Government (RNG), deserves a briefing from each negotiating party to possibly enable the continuance of the peace process.

Earlier, RNG Special Envoy to the Philippine Peace Process Ambassador Elisabeth Slattum urged both the GRP and the NDFP to “protect the peace talks, as it is the only way to move forward towards a just and lasting peace.”

In a statement, Slattum said that “what defines the success of a peace process is the ability and commitment of the parties to stay at the negotiation table and not give up, despite setbacks.”

“What is important now is to protect the peace talks, as it is the only way to move forward towards a just and lasting peace, for the benefit of all Filipino people,” Slattum said.

Successful negotiations so far

Sison cited the gains made so far in the formal peace talks in Norway and Italy as reasons for the continuation of the negotiations.

“The recent third round of formal talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) from January 19 to 25, 2017 has been successful and has scheduled the fourth round on April 2-6 in Oslo,” Sison said.

Sison said there was a fair exchange of views and agreements on efforts to comply with the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) concerning the release of all political prisoners, justice for and indemnification of victims of human right violations under the Marcos regime, allegations of human rights violations under Oplans Bayanihan, Tokhang and Kapayapaan, as well as the approval of the supplementary guidelines of the Joint Monitoring Committee.

There was also an initial discussion of the bilateral ceasefire agreement to replace the unilateral ceasefire declarations, Sison said.

The NDFP’s chief political consultant added that the biggest achievements in moving forward the peace process were the exchange of full drafts of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) by the reciprocal working committees of the GRP and the NDFP, and the complete drafts of the CAPCR by the reciprocal working groups.

“I estimate that it is possible to unify these drafts within 2017. The NDFP has formally offered to GRP to co-found the Federal Republic of the Philippines on the basis of the CAPCR,” Sison said.

Sison said he believes it is possible to implement the CASER and CAPCR through GRP executive actions, legislation and constitutional amendments before the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on End of Hostilities and Disposition of Forces (CAEHDF) in 2020-2021.

“Before then, a bilateral ceasefire agreement is possible, especially after the signing of the CASER and the CAPCR by the negotiating panels in 2017,” he said.

The GRP and NDFP ceasefire committees are scheduled to meet in The Netherlands on February 22 to discuss the former’s proposal for a bilateral ceasefire agreement, the possible discussion of which in Italy last month effectively scuttled by an attack by the AFP against an NPA encampment in Makilala, North Cotabato last January 21.

Talking while fighting

Sison said the clear and significant success of the third round of the formal talks has been overshadowed by the reaction of Duterte to the announcement of the termination of the unilateral ceasefire by the CPP and NPA, effective on February 10, and to the so-called self-defense actions already begun by the NPA in accordance with the terms of its unilateral ceasefire declaration.

“Even if the armed conflict between the armed forces of the two parties has resumed, peace negotiations can and must continue precisely to continue with the forging of the CASER, CAPCR and the bilateral ceasefire agreement and effecting the amnesty and release of all political prisoners within 2017,” Sison said.

“More than 10 major agreements were made during the (Fidel) Ramos regime while fighting went on,” he added.

Duterte’s peace adviser and negotiators—notably Jesus Dureza, Silvestre Bello III, Hernani Braganza, Rene Sarmiento and Maria Carla Munsayac—had been part of various Ramos government negotiating teams with the NDFP.

Sison said the CPP, NPA and NDFP remain committed to the peace process in accordance to the The Hague Joint Declaration and further agreements.

“They wish to pursue with the GRP the bright prospects that started with the first round of formal talks in August 2016 and overcome the peace spoilers that run counter to the progress that has been achieved in the third round of formal talks, Sison said.

We must respond to and strive to fulfil the Filipino people’s demand for a just and lasting peace,” he said. (Raymund B. Villanueva)

ZEA IO MING C. CAPISTRANO
Feb. 06, 2017

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Various non-government organizations across the country are urging President Rodrigo Duterte not to back out from the peace talks with the communists.

They also warned the all-out war approach will affect communities and civilians.

Human rights group Karapatan said Duterte should rethink his statement on the termination of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines after the president announced the termination of the peace talks with the NDFP.

Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary general said Duterte should be prepared to encounter problems in solving the armed conflict.

“Both Parties have expressed that the road to a just and lasting peace is not an easy one, but has several bumps and roadblocks,” she said.

Palabay added that it is the Army who is sabotaging the peace talks.

“Pres. Duterte should see that one big roadblock is the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) being warmongers and peace saboteurs, within and outside the peace process,” she said citing cases of political killings, enforced disappearances, illegal arrests and detention, threats and harassment in the communities.

“The AFP’s counter-insurgency program Oplan Bayanihan was still in play, with the military’s so-called “peace and development” teams coercing and threatening local government officials and residents as they continued to encamp in peasants’ homes, schools, and barangay halls. This is the reason why the residents, the victims and their families have repeatedly called on the GRP to pull out the AFP troops from their communities and to stop Oplan Bayanihan,” she said.

Palabay said “militarist” approach to ending insurgency will not solve the rebellion in the country.

Karapatan has recorded that at least four peasant activists were killed by state security forces in January this year.

On February 3, Lumad leader Renato Anglao, 42, of the Tribal Indigenous Oppressed Group Association was killed by three men on board a motorcycle.

Karapatan said TINDOGA, an indigenous people’s organization of the Manobo-Pulangion tribe in Barangay Botong, Quezon, Bukidnon, has consistently opposed the entry of agri-business plantations in the ancestral land of the lumad. The group was also accused of supporting the NPAs.

“Ultimately, it is the people who will suffer from the absence of GRP-NDFP official peace talks,” Palabay said.

Meanwhile, the Northern Luzon Peace Network said they are worried that violence will “revisit many communities, particularly those occupied by indigenous peoples.”

“The events in the past few days have been extremely worrying for us, tribal groups, church organizations and nongovernment organizations in the Cordillera and in Cagayan province,” it said in a statement.

“We now appeal to them to not lose sight of the long-awaited gains that a peace agreement will bring, particularly for the country’s poorest sectors,” it added.

Various tribes in Compostela Valley Province also said the six-month unilateral ceasefire declared by both sides brought peace to their communities.

“We, the Manguangan, Dibabawon and Mandaya tribes in Laak, Monkayo and Compostela in Compostela Valley, therefore, call on the government and the CPP-NPA to keep talking. We urge them to build on the gains from the three previous rounds of formal negotiations,” it said.(davaotoday.com)

By: InterAksyon.com – The online news portal of TV5
January 25, 2017 7:34 PM

MANILA – The negotiating panels of the Philippine goveernment and the National Democratic Front agreed to separately discuss the bilateral ceasefire when they meet in February in time for the depositing of identification documents of rebel leaders who are to be covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The agreement was reached at the 3rd round of talks in Rome, which was set to conclude late Wednesday.

Unable to include the joint ceasefire agenda during the opening of the 3rd round of talks in Rome, the GRP got the NDF to finally table it for discussion after a formal submission and acceptance on the part of rebel negotiators, according to a press statement issued by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The meeting for the bilateral ceasefire will be held in Utrecht in February, according to the government’s chief negotiator, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

This developed after the NDF committed to respond to the GRP draft bilateral proposal, which they officially received on Tuesday afternoon on the 4th day of the peace negotiations in Rome.

NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said they will study the draft government proposal and will submit their own draft.

“They received then they initialed the draft and they proposed that, for discussion of our proposed draft, they will have to come back (in The Netherlands) on the 22nd or 24th of February,” Bello said.

The meeting could last up to three days. The government side immediately welcomed the development. “The fact that they agreed to discuss it (bilateral ceasefire) is a positive development of the [peace] process,” Bello said.

Bello said he is confident that the commitment of the NDF to the peace process will continue to hold the separate unilateral ceasefire declaration, which the rebels had earlier hinted they were seriously considering to withdraw from.

“Otherwise, what’s the idea of discussing a bilateral ceasefire?” said Bello.

He said there was never mention about lifting the unilateral ceasefire during the unscheduled meeting following the armed encounter in Makilala, North Cotabato that left one rebel dead.

Bello said the Makilala incident should push both panels to pursue a bilateral ceasefire in order to direct complaints on violations and prompt fact-finding and investigation by a third party monitor.

Unilateral ceasefire

The ongoing unilateral ceasefire is the longest that the armed forces of both contending parties have maintained, now on its fifth month, in the history of the armed conflict between the government and the NDF.

The government has been pushing for a more formal and secure bilateral ceasefire agreement to provide the atmosphere conducive to the peace negotiations.

A bilateral ceasefire can be reached and signed on or before the 4th round of negotiations set in April in Oslo, Norway according to both panels.

Negotiating panels from both sides agreed to expand the agenda of the February special meeting after intense back channeling by panel members from both sides after the NDF initially declined to include the bilateral ceasefire in the agenda of the 3rd round of talks.

New JASIG list

Bello and the rest of the panel are going to the Netherlands next month to witness the depositing of the names and proper identification of a sealed document that will contain the names of 87 NDF leaders who will be immune from government arrests.

The new JASIG list was supposed to have already been deposited as early as October last year but the NDF said some technical problems bogged down the process.

NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said it was compounded by the unavailability of the bishop who will act as custodian of the JASIG list.

The JASIG list contains the real identification of the NDF consultants who have assumed names and aliases and are to be immune from government arrest.

Bello is the only panel member who will be given access to five random names in the JASIG verification list for verification before it is deposited in a safety deposit box of a still-to-be named bank in The Netherlands.

The list will only be opened by both parties if a listed NDF member is captured by police and government security operatives. The arrest of alleged JASIG covered NDF consultants had led to the collapse of previous talks between the GRP and the NDF.

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Kodao Productions
January 25, 2017

 ROME, Italy—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and government negotiators are set to end their third round of formal talks today on a successful note with advances on the substantive agenda and new goodwill measures included in the prospective Rome Joint Statement.

NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili and his Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) counterpart Silvestre Bello III said their joint statement will include the signing of the supplemental guidelines on the Joint Monitoring Committee as well as agreements on the ground rules for future negotiations on socio-economic and political and constitutional reforms.

They also agreed to hold a special meeting in The Netherlands in February 22 or 24 to discuss the GRP proposal for a bilateral ceasefire. In the said meeting, Bello will also witness NDFP’s submission of its reconstituted list of Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees-protected persons with Archbishop Wim Eijk of Utrecht for safekeeping.

“This round is turning out to be a success, despite the apparent sabotage with the killing of the activists in Negros Occidental and Surigao del Norte and the attack on the NPA (New People’s Army) encampment in North Cotabato,” Agcaoili said.

Joma Sison delisting

Bello for his part revealed that the joint statement shall include a request to the United States of America (USA) that NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison be delisted from its terror list.

“We have a basis (for such request), considering he is in the process, the peace talks, which negates the character of a terrorist,” Bello said.

Bello said it is important for Sison to be able to travel outside of Europe in response to GRP President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement he is willing to meet his former professor in any neutral Asian country.

NDFP panel member Benito Tiamzon and consultant Wilma Austria welcomed the move saying it would help in the negotiations.

“We have long been saying that the revolutionary movement, the Communist Party of the Philippines, the NPA, most especially Prof. Sison are not terrorists,” Tiamzon said.

“It is also important that President Duterte is saying he is independent of the US and this is one concrete step showing he really is independent,” Tiamzon added.

Sison has yet to issue a statement on the development.

Painstaking SER negotiations

NDFP socio-economic reforms Reciprocal Working Committee (RWC) spokesperson and agrarian and rural development focal person Randall Echanis said their bilateral meetings with their GRP counterparts have taken a few steps forward.

“For the first time, the GRP has submitted a comprehensive draft and we have agreed that both our drafts would be discussed with a matrix comparing both versions,” Echanis said.

Echanis also said that the Preamble and Declaration of Principles mostly based on the NDFP draft has already been agreed upon by the Reciprocal Workings Committees (RWC).

“We have identified commonalities on the Bases, Scope and Applicability provisions of our respective drafts and these are three important parts that our bilateral negotiations have disposed with,” Echanis said.

Echanis also revealed that the GRP has agreed in principle that there should be free land distribution to farmers, subject to consultations with other government agencies.

“We are for free land distribution while the GRP is for land distribution at least cost to the farmers. We met halfway by saying the compensation should not come from the farmers but from the government,” he said.

“They said the NDFP draft’s use of the word of ‘confiscation’ is unconstitutional. We clarified that land grabbed with use of violence and intimidation should be confiscated without compensation but we have no question with just compensation for landlords whose land was accumulated through just means,” Echanis clarified.

Echanis said the NDFP had been meeting GRP halfway in their negotiations as long as the essence and principle of agrarian reform is not compromised.

The closing ceremony of the third round is expected to be held at three o’clock local time (nine o’clock in the evening, Philippine time).

The fourth round of NDFP-GRP formal peace talks shall be held in April in Oslo, Norway. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

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Kodao Productions
January 21, 2017

ROME, Italy—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) signed the supplemental guidelines to the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) on the third day of their third round of talks.

Marking the first big achievement of the parties’ negotiations in this city, the agreement pushes forward the joint nature of monitoring and upholding human rights in the Philippines, NDFP negotiating panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili said.

“Finally now under President (Rodrigo) Duterte, we made the determination to sign the supplemental guidelines that will now govern the operation of the JMC as well as its Joint Secretariat,” Agcaoili said.

GRP negotiating panel chairperson Silvestre Bello III for his part said he is glad that the CARHRIHL can now come into fruition, the first substantive agreement he negotiated and signed with the NDFP in 1998.

The signing of the guidelines is “a concrete dividend of this round of talks,” Bello said.

“The full operation of the JMC with its supplemental guidelines in place should not be difficult under our legal regime that included new and bold laws and statutes upholding human rights and international humanitarian laws (IHL), such as the law against enforced disappearance, anti-torture act, IHL ACT, human security act, Writ of Amparo and the Writ of Kalikasan, among others,” Bello added.

“These Supplemental Guidelines shall additionally guide the work of the JMC in its task of monitoring the implementation of, and achieving the objectives of the CARHRIHL,” the newly-signed document said in its purpose and coverage provisions.

“These Supplemental Guidelines shall cover complaints and information on the Parties’ alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, in the context of the armed conflict, as enunciated under the CARHRIHL,” the agreement said.

The JMC was formed and was made operational at the first two rounds of formal peace negotiations between the NDFP and the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration in Oslo, Norway on February 10-14 and March 30 to April 2, 2004.

Its formation was in accordance with the CARHRIHL which became effective in August 7, 1998 after it has been signed by NDFP Chairperson Mariano Orosa and GRP President Joseph Estrada.

The JMC then opened its Joint Secretariat (JS) on June 4, 2004 which has since received more than six thousand reports of human rights violations against both the GRP and the NDFP, with the former getting majority of the complaints.

As of May 23, 2016, the NDFP-Nominated Section of the JS received 4,471 complaints against the GRP and 1,926 against the NDFP.

The NDFP however said that 96 per cent of the complaints against them are “nuisance complaints” filed wholesale last November 8, 2006 by the Judge Advocate General’s Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Most complaints against the GRP and its forces on the other hand were filed by human rights organizations or directly submitted by the victims or their families.

The JMC has never conducted joint activities, particularly in processing and investigating complaints of human rights violations received by both parties, as in the murder of the late NDFP consultant Sotero Llamas.

The signing of the supplemental guidelines in the ongoing round of talks has launched the JMC into full operation for the joint activities, the parties said.# (Raymund B. Villanueva)

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