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GRP arrests NDFP consultant
Arbitrario (second from right) at the closing ceremony of the first round of talks in Oslo, Norway in August last year.
ARIEL ARBITRARIO, a National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant who participated in formal peace negotiations in Norway last year, was arrested by combined Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) military and police forces this morning in Davao City.
Arbitrario and his companions Roderick Mamuyac, reportedly a member of the Kilusang Mayo Uno, and Jun Sindac were apprehended at a military checkpoint in Toril District at 10 o’clock this morning.
The three were taken to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) office in San Pedro, Davao City. Sindac was immediately released.
Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Rhayan Batchar confirmed Arbitrario’s arrest which he said was based on Duterte’s speech in Cagayan de Oro yesterday.
Duterte has also ordered the military and the Bureau of Immigration to be on the lookout for the whereabouts of NDFP consultants released on bail by the courts August last year.
According to human rights group Karapatan, the CIDG planned to bring Arbitrario to Regional Trial Court 11 Branch 1 in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province.
Another JASIG violation
The NDFP condemned the arrest and identified Arbitrario as its Consultant for Mindanao.
“Arbitrario is a publicly-known consultant in the peace talks and is the holder of NDFP Document of Identification Number PP 978542 dated 22 August 2016 that has been duly acknowledged by GRP Chairperson Silvestre H. Bello III on 16 September 2016,” NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili said.
Agcaoili said Arbitrario is therefore covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and is immune from arrest in the performance of his duties and responsibilities in the peace negotiations.
“We must remind the GRP that the peace negotiations are ongoing,” Agcaoili said, adding that under the terms of the JASIG, the GRP is obliged to send the NDFP a written notice of termination that would take effect only 30 days after our receipt of such notice.
“In the meanwhile, all agreements that have been reaffirmed and signed between the two Parties remain in full force and effect, including the JASIG, the CARHRIHL and the Joint Statements signed in Oslo and Rome in August 2016, October 2016, and January 2017 respectively,” Agcaoili said.
Under the Agreement, the companions of Arbitrario when he was arrested are also covered by the protection of the JASIG, Agcaoili explained.
“Our lawyers have advised us that Arbitrario’s release last August is secured by bail. Even in accordance with GRP’s own laws and processes, Arbitrario´s arrest is in contravention of GRP’s own rules of procedures as he is claimed to be under the jurisdiction of GRP courts,” he said.
Karapatan also cried foul over Arbitrario’s arrest, noting the GRP Negotiating Panel has yet to formally notify its NDFP counterpart of the termination of formal peace negotiations between the two parties.
“With the arrest of peace consultant Ariel Arbitario this morning, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is clearly taking advantage of the verbal orders of President Rodrigo Duterte. The JASIG is still in force,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.
Arbitrario was first arrested February 16 last year along with his brother Crispulo in Tagum City, Davao del Norte by the Philippine Army, alleging that he was the secretary of the New People’s Army’s Guerilla Front 2 under its Southern Mindanao Regional Committee. (Raymund B. Villanueva)
Arbitrario (second from right) with fellow NDFP peace consultants and Royal Norwegian Government’s Ambassador to the Philippines Erik Forner (seventh from left) in Oslo, Norway.
Arbitrario (third from left) upon arriving in Oslo with fellow NDFP peace consultants.
Duterte has no jurisdiction over consultants; talks ‘suspension’ not in any agreement–NDFP
THE National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said the jurisdiction over its 17 peace consultants released last August for the formal peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) lies with the judiciary and not on President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement, NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said the consultants have been put under the effective jurisdiction of the GRP courts because they were released only on bail and only for a six-month period.
Responding to Duterte’s statement that those released should voluntarily go back to prison and GRP intelligence units shall monitor the whereabouts of the peace consultants, Agcaoili clarified that it was the judiciary which granted them bails and issued them permission to travel abroad to participate in the last three rounds of talks.
“Their bail renewal is due this month and, as reflected in the Rome Joint Statement of 25 January 2017, both their lawyers and the GRP have agreed to cooperate in this regard,” Agcaoili said.
The NDFP also said all 17 NDFP consultants are in the country and are not in hiding.
“Those who took part in the third round of formal talks in Rome, Italy from 19 to 25 January 2017 have returned to the country as of 31 January. They are all protected from re-arrest in accordance with the JASIG (Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees),” Agcaoili said.
Since August, the consultants have participated in three formal peace negotiations in Norway and Italy as well as in numerous peace forums all over the Philippines and in many countries abroad to drum up support for the NDFP-GRP peace process.
Peace consultant Felix Randy Malayao said there have been three important documents that the 17 NDFP consultants have helped bring about: the NDFP-GRP Joint Statements of August 2016, October 2016 and January 2017.
The NDFP also clarified that the GRP are not paying for the expenses of its consultants.
“The Royal Norwegian Government in its capacity as Third Party Facilitator in the peace talks has been providing for the travel expenses and accommodation of the NDFP delegation in formal and informal peace talks since the beginning,” Agcaoili said.
Talks ‘suspension’ not allowed
Agcaoili said the NDFP is waiting for the formal notice from the GRP Negotiating Panel on its termination of the peace negotiations.
He clarified that the NDFP has never terminated the peace negotiations with the GRP since The Hague Joint Declaration was signed in 1992 to govern the conduct of talks.
“Only the GRP by President Joseph Estrada did when he issued a formal notice of termination in accordance with JASIG. Presidents Gloria M. Arroyo and Benigno C. Aquino suspended the peace talks. And now Duterte,”
“There is no provision for suspension in any agreements,” Agcaoili said.
The NDFP said “the JASIG defines the mode of termination.” (Raymund B. Villanueva)
BREAKING: Duterte cancels peace talks with Reds
Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) President Rodrigo Duterte announced his decision to withdraw from their peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Duterte reportedly said he is ordering GRP negotiating panel members “to fold up the tents and come home” in a press conference in Davao City last Saturday.
“Peace talks will remain cancelled unless there is a compelling reason that will benefit the interest of the nation,” the president was also quoted as saying.
The announcement came after the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (NPA) announced last week its decision to end its unilateral ceasefire.
NPA spokesperson Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos cited Duterte’s failure to amnesty hundreds of political prisoners and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) numerous violations of GRP’s own unilateral ceasefire for their decision.
Within a day, Duterte announced GRP’s own suspension of their unilateral ceasefire, followed by his decision to withdraw from the peace talks after just two days.
The turn of events was set off when 39th Infantry Battalion troopers overran an NPA encampment in Makilala, North Cotabato while the GRP and the NDFP were in the middle of their third round of formal negotiations in Rome, Italy last January 21.
An NPA guerilla was killed in the incident. The AFP has lost at least three soldiers since the clashes started last month that ended the longest-ever ceasefire between the two parties.
Two GRP panel members declined to comment as they have yet to be officially notified by Duterte.
The NDFP has yet to issue a statement on Duterte’s latest announcements. (Raymund B. Villanueva)
CPP and NPA terminate ceasefire with GRP
DOHA, Qatar—The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) terminated their unilateral ceasefire declaration of August 28, 2016 with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) today.
In a statement, NPA National Operational Command spokesperson Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos said the termination is due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s failure to release more than 200 political prisoners and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) widespread violation of the GRP’s own ceasefire declaration.
Madlos said the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel will notify its GRP counterpart of its decision today.
Their ceasefire shall then on 11:59 in the evening of February 10, Madlos said.
The termination came after clashes that reportedly resulted in the capture of one and the killing of 10 AFP soldiers and the martyrdom of one NPA fighter.
- In Makilala, North Cotabato, 39th Infantry Battalion troops of the Philippine Army (PA)overran an NPA encampment last January 21 and killed an NPA guerrilla while reportedly losing eight of its own soldiers. The incident happened while the third round of formal peace talks between the GRP and the NDFP were ongoing in Rome, Italy;
- In Surigao del Norte, a PA soldier was captured by the NPA last January 29 for encroaching on CPP territory;
- Three AFP soldiers were reportedly injured after a 15-minute firefight with the NPA last January 30 in Barangay Mat-i, Surigao City; and
- On the same day, two AFP troopers were reportedly killed after a skirmish with the NPA in Echague, Isabela.
“The GRP has treacherously taken advantage of the unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire to encroach on the territory of the CPP’s People’s Democratic Government,” Madlos said.
The NPA said GRP troops have occupied 500 barrios in 164 municipalities across 43 provinces that are within the authority of the revolutionary government.
“They (AFP) have subjected entire barrios to their armed presence and have committed widespread violations of human rights, such as occupation of people’s homes, barangay halls, day care centers and other civilian structures,” Madlos said.
Madlos added that civilians have suffered threats, intimidations and harassments by AFP troopers that gravely affect the people’s farm productivity, commerce and overall livelihood.
Non-compliance
Madlos said they have decided to terminate their ceasefire declaration due also to Duterte’s failure to fulfill his promise to release hundreds of political prisoners in compliance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
“The unilateral ceasefire declaration was issued on the mutual understanding with the GRP that such releases will take effect within 60 days of August 28,” Madlos said.
The NPA spokesperson explained that such was the context why the GRP Negotiating Panel approached its NDFP counterpart last October seeking an extension of the CPP and NPA ceasefire declaration with a promise that around 200 political prisoners were to be released.
“The Duterte regime failed to fulfil such obligation even though the CPP obliged it by extending the ceasefire declaration to more than 150 days,” Madlos’ statement said.
“Road to peace is not smooth”
In an earlier statement, GRP Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said they are distressed and extremely disturbed by alleged series of attacks and harassments by suspected NPA elements.
“The unilateral ceasefire was precisely set in place to provide an enabling environment for the ongoing peace talks,” Dureza said.
Dureza also alleged that some in the NDFP leadership are not in full control of their own forces on the ground or they are themselves undermining these efforts for sustainable peace, or pressuring the government for some concessions.
But NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said Dureza should stop sowing intrigue among the ranks of the revolutionary forces.
“We strongly advise Secretary Dureza not to raise the bogey of disunity among the ranks of the revolutionary movement,” Agcaoili said.
“The NDFP shall hold the GRP responsible for anything untoward that may happen to the ongoing peace negotiations as a result of its bellicose statements on the actions of the NPA to defend itself and protect communities after the Makilala incident,” Agcaoili said.
The NPA has ordered all its units, militia and self-defense corps to be on active defense mode from today until the expiration of their unilateral ceasefire declaration. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
‘Difficult but successful’ round of talks ends in Rome
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)
Altermidya News: Mga kaganapan sa usapang pangkapayapaan
Mula sa Rome, Italy — Balita ng Kodao sa mga kaganapan sa 3rd round ng peace talks sa pagitan ng NDFP at GRP.
Panoorin ang ulat ng Altermidya.
Joma terror delisting, free land distribution among agreements in third round of talks
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.
“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)
LARAWAN: 6th day of the GRP NDFP peace talks
Rome, Italy
January 24, 2017
GRP submits proposal for bilateral ceasefire deal; NDFP files complaint on Makilala clash
ROME, Italy— The peace negotiating panels exchanged documents today on the bilateral ceasefire proposal of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the formal complaint of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) regarding the Makilala clash last January 21.
Convening the ad hoc ceasefire committee on the fifth day of the formal talks, the parties each received from the other the documents in a brief meeting.
GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said he is encouraged by the NDFP’s reception to their bilateral ceasefire proposal, one of the government’s major objectives in this round of talks.
“The NDFP said we will discuss our bilateral ceasefire proposal on February 22 or 24 in The Netherlands,” Bello revealed.
“I find their response reasonable,” Bello said.
Bello also revealed that the final date of their meeting next month would depend of the availability of a Dutch archbishop who will be the caretaker of the reconstituted list of NDFP Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) protected consultants and peace process participants.
“I will witness the NDFP’s submission of their list of holders of documents of identification,” Bello said.
Both parties agreed last August at the first round of formal talks in Oslo, Norway to a reconstituted list after the encrypted original list’s pass key was corrupted by a raid conducted by the Dutch police of the NDFP International Office in August 28, 2007.
The NDFP in turn submitted to the GRP Panel a letter of protest in relation to the Makilala, North Cotabato clash between the 39th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (PA) and the New People’s Army (NPA).
NDFP panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili called the Makilala clash “a clear breach of the GRP’s own unilateral ceasefire declaration.”
A 33-year old NPA fighter was confirmed killed while Lt. Gen. Rey Guerrero, commanding officer of Eastern Mindanao Command of the AFP, denied eight PA soldiers were killed as alleged by the NPA’s Rigoberto Sanchez.
The GRP reportedly told the NDFP they will study the protest letter and wait for the official report from the AFP. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)