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Tiamzons tailed anew; other consultants also in danger

NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace negotiators Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria Tiamzon were again tailed by suspected elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañan Palace Tuesday night.

The Tiamzons noticed they were being tailed by two men riding separate motorcycles after meeting with Duterte and decided to go back to the farmers’ camp out on Mendiola Bridge they also visited earlier.

Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao, who was with the Tiamzons at Mendiola and Malacañan earlier, were among those who turned around and escorted the couple until they were able to reach safety at about ten in the evening.

“I immediately responded to their call and returned to the camp out. We waited for several minutes to assess the situation and plan how to respond. I communicated to Sec. Bong Go and appraised him of the situation and sought immediate intervention,” Casilao said.

“We managed to safely evade the tailing,” Casilao added.

The Tiamzons faced a similar incident last March 16 when they arrived from The Netherlands to participate in the backchannel talks with the Manila government negotiators that restored formal peace negotiations between the NDFP and the Duterte government.

The car that fetched the Tiamzons was successively tailed by a Toyota Land Cruiser and “two dark-skinned, burly men in civilian clothes riding a motorcycle” that they managed to elude when they took circuitous routes, switched cars and entered an expressway where small-engine motorcycles are prohibited.

The NDFP lodged a formal protest on the first incident with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) during the fourth round of formal negotiations last month at Noordwijk Aan Zee in The Netherlands.

The NDFP said in its protest that the incident was a “provocation” and a serious violation of the 1995 GRP-NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) as well as the Utrecht Joint Statement of March 11 regarding the safety and liberty of all the NDFP consultants.

It added the surveillance also ran counter to GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III’s written guarantee to the Royal Norwegian Government, Third Party Facilitator to the peace process, dated March 6 “assuring the safe and unhindered departure and arrival of the Tiamzons and NDFP consultant Vicente Ladlad from the special consultations in Utrecht.”

Time to confront Duterte

Former NDFP chief negotiator and current senior adviser Luis Jalandoni however urged stronger action against the AFP for the incident Tuesday night.

Asked to comment, Jalandoni said the NDFP Panel should strongly protest the incident and demand the military units involved are indentified and subjected to discipline.

“The response must be concrete.  It must be brought up because while Duterte says he wants the peace negotiations to continue, he is not putting a stop to (Defense secretary Delfin) Lorenzana’s all-out war declaration and the things that (AFP chief of staff Eduardo) Año are doing,” Jalandoni said.

“If this is not given attention and action commensurate to the dangers (to the Tiamzons) and threats to the peace talks, mayroon pwedeng i-declare yung NDFP panel na mayroong big thing for the peace negotiations,” he added.

Jalandoni also revealed that NDFP consultants Pedro Codaste and Porferio Tuna are in grave danger from the AFP.

Jalandoni said the AFP in North-Central Mindanao has a shoot-to-kill order against Codaste and its Eastern Mindanao Command is aiming to abduct Tuna.

“It is up to the NDFP Panel to consider how this should be addressed, but it has to be very strong already. Hindi pwedeng magbibigay na lang uli ng report,” Jalandoni said.

AFP spokesperson B/Gen. Restituto Padilla has yet to reply to a request for comment. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

2 NPA POWs to be released tomorrow

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has issued a Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO) order for the release of two New People’s Army (NPA) prisoners of war (POWs) in Socsargen, a government peace negotiator said.

Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) Negotiating Panel member Hernani Braganza said the release of the POWs is likely to be held tomorrow and will be facilitated by Cagayan de Oro Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop and Sowing the Seeds of Peace convenor Felixberto Calang.

Braganza said he has been talking to concerned parties to effect the release, including Calang, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili yesterday, GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III and the AFP since yesterday on the matter.

“We hope and pray the release tomorrow would be successful,” Braganza said.

Earlier, NPA spokesperson Jorge Madlos said their scheduled release of Philippine Army’s Sgt. Solaiman Calucop and Pfc. Samuel Garay last April 11 somewhere in the Socsargen region was cancelled because of continuing military and police operations that put the safety of the POWs, their families and third party facilitators at risk.

“Continuing offensive military and police operations in the Socsargen area have impeded the New People’s Army (NPA) from releasing two prisoners of war,” Madlos, in a April 12 statement, said.

“The AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police) have stubbornly refused to heed the clamor for their units to stand down and suspend offensive operations to provide the opportunity for such a turnover,” the NPA spokesperson added.

The NPA said Calucop and Garay’s release is in line with the April 6, 2017 Joint Statement signed by the NDFP and GRP, and the February 18 declaration of the CPP.

“The two (2) Parties agreed to undertake necessary measures to effect the immediate, safe and expeditious release of AFP and PNP elements held captive by the NPA in Eastern Mindanao, with the captives held in Socsargen to be release before Easter and those in Bukidnon and Caraga after Easter,” their April 6 statement said.

The two soldiers were captured by the NPA in Columbia, Sultan Kudarat province last February 2.

The NPA is also set to to release three other POWs in Bukidnon and in the Caraga region.# (Raymund B. Villanueva/Featured image from CPP website)

Wilma Tiamzon explains the agreement on interim joint ceasefire

NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands–The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) signed the Agreement on an Interim Joint Ceasefire yesterday after four days of intense formal and informal negotiations.

The parties said the document aims to encourage the forging of a more stable and more comprehensive joint ceasefire agreement and to provide a more enabling environment for the earlier signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).

They said the interim joint ceasefire shall be signed simultaneous to, or immediately after, the signing of the CASER, which is expected to be finished within the year and after ground rules and guidelines are forged by their respective ceasefire committees.

The prospective ceasefire’s guidelines and ground rules shall govern the presence of armed units and elements of both parties in local communities and the creation of buffer zones.

The ground rules would also include agreements on what constitutes prohibited, hostile and provocative acts by armed groups of either party.

The guidelines shall also allow for a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism to oversee the prospective ceasefire’s implementation and to handle complaints of violations.

Watch NDFP’s ceasefire committee head Wilma Austria Tiamzon explain the agreement on interim joint ceasefire as well as the advancement on CASER negotiations. # (Interview and video by Jola Diones-Mamangun / Text by Raymund B. Villanueva / Featured photo by Nwel Saturay)

4 POWs, 23 political prisoners to be released soon—NDFP, GRP

NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) held a press conference this morning (local time) to reiterate their respective commitments to expedite the release of New People’s Army (NPA) prisoners of war (POWs) on one hand and political prisoners in the other.

“The NDFP today reiterates and confirms the February 19, 2017 statement of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) directing the concerned NPA units to expedite the release of the six captured POWs still in their custody as a ‘positive gesture’ for the ongoing fourth round of the peace talks,” the NDFP said.

Last March 25, however, two POWs, paramilitary members Rene Doller and Mark Nocus, captured in Lupon, Davao Oriental on February 14, were already released by their NPA custodial force to the members of the Third Party Facilitators and Independent Humanitarian Mission (TPFIHM) in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

The GRP said its security forces are amenable to suspending military and police operations for 10 days to allow the NPA to affect the POW releases to TPFIHM members.

The four (4) remaining POWs are PFC Edwin Salan (captured in Alegria, Surigao del Norte on January 29); Sgt. Solaiman Calucop (captured in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat on February 2); PFC Samuel Garay (also captured in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat on February 2); and PO2 Jerome Natividad, captured in Talakag, Bukidnon on February 9.

The GRP for its part said it will soon release 23 NDFP-listed political prisoners held in various jails across the Philippines.

The GRP said most of the political prisoners to be released on humanitarian grounds are sick and elderly.

Four of the 23 political prisoners were convicted, including three NDFP consultants, who will be released through presidential pardon.

The NDFP and GRP said the agreement to expedite the releases of POWs and political prisoners are part of the successes of the ongoing round of talks. # (Video by Jola Diones-Mamangun / Text by Raymund B. Villanueva / Featured photo by Jon Bustamante)

2nd Day: Everyone is hoping the barong Tagalogs would be worn today

NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands— After a day’s delay, Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) negotiators said they agreed to proceed with the opening ceremony of their fourth round of formal talks today.  Already announced before lunch time, the agreement became final at past nine in the evening yesterday. (Three o’clock Tuesday morning, Philippine time.)

“We will wear our barong Tagalog,” GRP Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said of the panels’ opening ceremony plans set at 10 o’clock this morning. (Four o’clock, Philippine time)

Relief among about a hundred peace consultants, advisers and staff as well as journalists covering the event greeted the announcement.  It had been a decade and a half when a formal round was last cancelled after the negotiators have arrived at the venue of the talks.

“Problem-solving”

Both GRP and NDFP negotiators are being positive in describing the delays in the formal opening of the talks.  Dureza said the delay is because of back-channel efforts to iron out issues before formal negotiations. “That way, everything is smoother during the formal talks,” he said.  NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili is saying the same: the parties are at a “problem-solving” stage.

They are not directly stating it, but GRP President Duterte’s new directives are probably the reasons for the delay.  Just as the opening ceremony was supposed to be held yesterday morning, Duterte in Cagayan de Oro City was rattling off about his four “barest conditionalities,” including a signed bilateral agreement and for the NDFP to stop collecting revolutionary tax, claim territories and for them to release of all their prisoners of war (POWs). These were probably what he called his negotiators about yesterday. In the past, conditionalities by a party beyond what The Hague Joint Declaration stated—addressing the roots of the armed conflict and bringing about a just and lasting peace—had always been rejected by the other.

But in response to Duterte, the NDFP has already assured the GRP of flexibility and willingness in discussing the latter’s bilateral ceasefire proposal.  “Because the GRP negotiating panel is coming to the Netherlands for the fourth round of formal talks, the NDFP negotiating panel is willing to be flexible and is open to discussing with its counterpart what kind of bilateral ceasefire agreement is desired by the GRP in place of the unilateral ceasefire,” NDFP panel Chairperson Fidel Agcaoili said in a statement last March 31.  “The NDFP is one with the GRP in desiring to resolve the serious concerns that have been raised in relation to the previous six-month unilateral ceasefires, mindful that addressing these issues is crucial to ensuring that any ceasefire agreement in the future would be more effective,” he added.  Obviously, the NDFP wanted the ceasefire proposal to be discussed in formal negotiations.

The NDFP has also repeatedly asked the GRP to suspend military and police operations to allow the safe release of more POWs.  The requests are unheeded and the New People’s Army (NPA) has only managed to release two of its POWs so far.  Meanwhile, the AFP seems happy to continue its all-out war against the Communist guerrillas.

While the Armed Forces of the Philippines is raining bombs on the countryside, Duterte said he wants a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement before the fourth round of talks can proceed.  His announcement also came after his National Security Council was convened and his Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the NPA as “terrorists,” “thugs” and “extortionists.”  The GRP has also decided not to reinstate its unilateral ceasefire declaration as agreed upon in their March 11 GRP-NDFP Utrecht Joint Statement, forcing the Communist Party of the Philippines to say it too would not longer declare a unilateral ceasefire due to the GRP’s refusal to reciprocate.

The difference in tone of the parties’ statements could not be more obvious.  Such has caused suspensions, cancellations, collapse, abortions and declarations of indefinite recess of formal negotiations in the past.

It would not have been the first time

If the opening ceremony would not push through this morning and the fourth round of formal talks would be cancelled altogether, it would not be the first time it would happen in the history of the 31-year GRP-NDFP peace talks.

On October 14, 1994 in De Bilt, The Netherlands, the GRP rejected the common draft drawn by the “small committees” on the joint agreement on safety and immunity guarantees and unilaterally declared a collapse of the talks.

In Brussels, Belgium on June 27, 1995, the GRP refused to release the late NDFP consultant Sotero Llamas and then President Fidel Ramos suspended the formal talks.

On April 22, 1997 in The Hague, The Netherlands, GRP declared an indefinite recess of the formal talks after NDFP rejected its “two options” proposal to amend The Hague Joint Declaration.

In Oslo, Norway on June 13, 2001, the GRP suspended formal talks in protest over the killing of the notorious Rodolfo Aguinaldo in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

On September 21, 2002, the GRP aborted the scheduled formal talks after the late Defense secretary Angelo Reyes convened a special meeting of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security which reversed a Cabinet decision chaired by then President Gloria Arroyo to resume formal talks with the NDFP.

It is notable that it had always been the GRP which cancelled the talks.

Chilly Noordwijk

It had turned chilly and foggy by the time the journalists decided there would be no more stories to be had at past nine o’clock last night and started their walk back to their respective hotels.  This seaside town was asleep and there were hardly locals who were out at that time.  At the Radisson Blu Hotel lobby, some GRP and NDFP negotiators clustered into groups discussing what the second day of the talks would be like.  The Royal Norwegian Government facilitators themselves were in a corner, probably discussing strategies for possible scenarios.

Dawn has broken here, but the sun, hidden behind a gloomy sky, has yet to make its presence felt.  Rains are predicted to fall on this historic city today.  But no announcement of cancellation of the opening ceremony has come during the night and the journalists are anticipating covering yet another formal talks opening ceremony.

Everyone seems to be hoping the barong Tagalogs would be worn this morning. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

CPP to declare unilateral ceasefire next week

THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) announced today it is set to issue another unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire not later than March 31.

In a press statement, the CPP Information Bureau said its ceasefire declaration is in anticipation and support of the fourth round of peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) set for April 2-6 in The Netherlands. Read more

Joma lauds Duterte’s decision to continue talks

NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant Prof. Jose Maria Sison lauded Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to continue with the stalled formal peace negotiations.

Still recovering from a recent illness, Sison said he “express(es) deep appreciation to President Rodrigo Duterte for deciding to continue the peace negotiations and enabling the GRP to proceed with the scheduled 4th round of  formal talks in April.” Read more

NDFP says backchannel talks with GRP scheduled as early as February

THE National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel confirmed that backchannel talks with Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) for the resumption of formal peace negotiations are about to happen.

In an interview with KODAO, NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said both parties agreed to secret backchannel talks as early as the first week of February after President Rodrigo Duterte terminated formal peace negotiations.

“For some reason, these have been delayed till now,” Agcaoili said.

Agcaoili also said the NDFP has kept its end of the bargain by not revealing plans or issuing any statement that would upset the backchannel talks.

Agcaoili also revealed that discussions have been going on since between the Royal Norwegian Government, third party peace facilitator to the peace process, and the GRP Panel.

Earlier today, Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced in a speech at the National Defense College that Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza has left for Europe last March 8, presumably to lead the GRP delegation to the backchannel talks.

“Last night, we allowed the departure of Benito and Wilma Tiamzon and Mr. Ladlad to do some back-channeling,” Lorenzana added.

Benito Tiamzon is an NDFP Peace Panel member while Wilma Tiamzon and Vicente Ladlad are consultants.

Agcaoili said the backchannel aims to bring about the continuation of the talks after Duterte’s termination of formal talks last February.

He said they are aiming to hold the scheduled fourth round in April in Oslo, Norway and continue discussions on the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees and the prospective Comprehensive Agreements on Socio-Economic Reforms and Political and Constitutional Reforms.

No ceasefire in place

Agcaoili also reacted to Duterte’s latest statement ordering the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to pursue New People’s Army (NPA) fighters the President said were responsible for the death of four police officers in Bansalan, Davao del Sur Wednesday.

“On the Bansalan incident, we still have to confirm if this was done by the NPA command in the area,” Agcaoili said.

Duterte told government troops may use newly-acquired jets to drop bombs on the NPA.  “Go ahead, flatten the hills,” he said.

“AFP and PNP troops have been going into villages and violating people’s rights in their combat and intelligence operations, including murderous Tokhang operations,” Agcaoli replied.

Agcaoili issued a reminder that there is no ceasefire in place at the moment, saying the NPA also lost four fighters to a raid by the Philippine Army’s 2nd Jungle Fighter Company in San Andres, Quezon Province last March 7. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

 

Suspected AFP and PNP agents harass human rights lawyer

A lawyers’ group condemned the harassment of one of its members by suspected Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel in Caloocan City yesterday.

In a statement, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said Atty. V.J. Topacio was tailgated by a white Toyota Revo vehicle and a motorcycle from a hearing at the Caloocan City Prosecutor’s Office where he represented Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Metro Manila campaign officer Ferdinand Castillo.

Read more

Peace advocates hound AFP chief of staff Eduardo Año

Peace advocates and human rights defenders hounded Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Eduardo Año at the Ateneo de Manila University this morning, recalling his record of human rights violations.

Año delivered a lecture at the Jesuit university on protecting the people and the State, which the rally participants said is ironic as the general is at the forefront of implementing the Duterte government’s ongoing all-out war that victimizes civilian communities throughout the country.

Año had been charged with masterminding the abduction and enforced disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos, among other human rights violations. Read more