Parties begin second day with a Holy Mass
NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, The Netherlands—The mood considerably improved between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) this morning, helped by a Holy Mass celebrated by Tuguegarao Archbishop and first time peace talks observer Sergio Utleg. Panel members of both parties attended what probably is […]
When ‘ceasefire’ means prolonging a war
PALACE HOTEL, Noordwijk Aan Zee, The Netherlands—It’s somewhen between midnight and dawn and the hotel is quiet. A solitary employee was patrolling its cavernous lobby, his footfalls echoing loudly. A few hours earlier, thousands of voices filled the hall and thousands of footfalls pounded its marble floor, creating a day-long din. But, in essence, there had only […]
Panels end tensed first day with agreement to resume informal talks tomorrow
NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, The Netherlands—The negotiating panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) have ended a tensed day of threats, accusations and counter-accusations by agreeing to continue their informal negotiations tomorrow, May 28, at nine o’clock in the morning (3 pm Philippine […]
LARAWAN: Mga pangunahing tagapagsalita at negosyador sa usapang pangkapayapaan
Habang hindi pa pormal na binubuksan ang usapang pangkapayapaan, nagpalitan na ng mga pahayag ang magkabilang panig, ang GRP at NDFP, hinggil sa dapat pa bang ituloy ang 5th round of formal talks. Patuloy na naghihintay ang mga mamamahayag sa kahihinatnan ng pulong ng dalawang panig ngayong hapon. The Netherlands, May 27, 2017
Panels working to salvage 5th round
NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, The Netherlands—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel said it is drafting a reply to its Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) counterpart as part of efforts to find common ground and allow the fifth round of formal peace negotiations to proceed. In an interview, NDFP chief […]
GRP to NDFP: ‘We will not proceed to participate, unless…’
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 […]
LARAWAN: Black Friday protest: No to Martial Law in Mindanao
‘Time to unite’: NDFP panel to recommend reconsideration of order to intensify attacks vs GRP forces
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel is recommending to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the NDFP Executive Committee a reconsideration of the order to intensify attacks against Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) forces after Department of National Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statements against […]
Activists hold rally for peace and justice in Mindanao
After President Rodrigo Duterte declared Martial Law over the whole of Mindanao earlier this week following attacks by the Maute Group, progressive organizations held a rally at Plaza Miranda last Wednesday afternoon to call for peace and justice in Mindanao. Protesting what they say is an unwarranted military rule to quell an attack at certain […]
Martial law may negatively affect peace talks
INSTANBUL, Turkey–President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to declare martial law over all of the Philippines will adversely affect his government’s ongoing peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Jose Maria Sison, the group’s chief political consultant, said. In an interview, Sison said Duterte’s martial law declaration over the entire Mindanao may just be a […]