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GRP announces non-participation in fifth round of formal talks

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NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, The Netherlands—The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) has announced it will not participate in the fifth round of formal peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

In a press conference, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza and GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said there are no clear indications that an enabling environment conducive for the formal talks to proceed has been achieved after two days of informal and backchannel negotiations.

“This is a temporary setback which has also happened in the past.  This only means we need to work harder on the peace process,” Bello said.

Dureza refused to explain their reasons and just asked the reporters present at the press briefing to report their statements “as stated.”

GRP negotiators, however, has repeatedly said earlier it wants the CPP to rescind its order to the NPA of intensified operations against government troops in light of defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statement the rebel guerrillas are among the targets of President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration over all of the Mindanao region.

“It would be a factor,” Dureza replied when asked if the GRP would resume formal peace negotiations in case the CPP complies to the demand.

Dureza and Bello said President Rodrigo Duterte is aware of the GRP panel’s decision.

In reply, NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said the cancellation of the fifth round was “GRP’s decision and responsibility.”

“Contrary to the GRP allegations, the NPA operations cannot be attributed to the failure of the CPP-NPA-NDFP leadership to control their ground forces.  Rather, they (CPP directives) are defensive and counter-offensive responses to the AFP provocative actions and offensive operations,” the NDFP, in a prepared statement, said.

The NDFP said the GRP is obscuring the fact that its forces “have been waging an ‘all-out-war’ against the NPA, conducting offensive operations and aerial bombings of communities regardless of ‘collateral damage’ – all on the direct and standing orders of President Duterte.”

Agcaoili said the GRP should consider stopping its all-out-war policy first before issuing “vague demands” to the NDFP.

Peace process to continue

The GRP said they are not terminating the entire peace process with the NDFP in their decision not to participate in the fifth round of talks.

The NDFP agreed with the GRP and said they expect their counterparts to respect previously-signed agreement such as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law as well the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees.

“We expect the GRP to respect the safety of our negotiators and consultants once they go home to the Philippines after this and as they go about their work as peace workers,” Agcaoili said.

Agcaoili also said they are willing to resume formal peace negotiations as soon as the GRP decides to go back to the negotiating table.

He also said the NDFP may seek an audience with President Duterte to seek clarifications in the near future.

“I would like to think that he (Duterte) still wants to sign a final peace agreement with the NDFP,” Agcaoili said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

LARAWAN: Misa para sa kapayapaan

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Noordwijk, The Netherlands
May 28, 2017

LARAWAN: Mga pangunahing tagapagsalita at negosyador sa usapang pangkapayapaan

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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

 

‘Time to unite’: NDFP panel to recommend reconsideration of order to intensify attacks vs GRP forces

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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 the New People’s Army (NPA).

Seeking to ease tensions on the eve of their fifth round of formal peace negotiations in this country caused by an exchange of accusations by GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III and the CPP yesterday, the NDFP’s chief political consultant said both the Left and the Duterte government must unite at this time against United States of America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)-supported terrorism.

“The NDFP Negotiating Panel has recommended to the National Executive Committee of the NDFP and in effect the Central Committee of the CPP to reconsider the order to the NPA to intensify tactical offensives as response to the Lorenzana statement that the NPA is a target of martial law,” Sison said.

“The terrorist act by the Maute group should not be an obstacle to the fifth round of formal talks but should be an incentive to the GRP and NDFP to meet and agree to fight groups that are terrorist because they target, terrorize and harm civilians, solely or mainly,” he added.

Sison explained the GRP side has clarified that the NPA is not a target of President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao last May 22 after the Maute Group group started its attack of Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

“In fact President Duterte himself told (NDFP chief negotiator) Fidel Agcaoili in their recent meeting that the GRP and NDFP should unite against terrorist groups like the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf,” Sison said.

Sison added the NDFP are together with the GRP in opposing and fighting the ISIS-affiliated and CIA-supported groups like the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf.

“We in the NDFP condemn the attack by Maute group on Marawi City,” Sison said.

Earlier, NDFP-Mindanao condemned attack in Marawi City by the Maute Group and expressed concern and solidarity for the people of Marawi City.

Heated exchange

Yesterday, the CPP took exception to government chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III’s statements the underground party insulted Duterte and said martial law over the entire Mindanao region is an attack against the civil and political rights of the Filipino people.

“It curtails their freedom of movement and other freedoms. Martial law transfers these freedoms to the military and subjects the people to abuse. Under martial law, it is the military, these notorious abusers of human rights, who rule,” the CPP warned.

The CPP cited harassments already being conducted by government forces against civilians in Mindanao.

“In Davao City, with its overzealous martial law supporter Mayor Sarah Duterte, people in their communities are being rounded up. Close to three hundred people have already been arbitrarily arrested by the military for failing to comply with the arbitrary rules imposed by the military and the militarist-minded bureaucrats,” the CPP said.

Suara Bangsamoro- Socsksargen also reported about 30 women Lumad, Moro, pastors and church lay workers of the Ecumenical Women Forum were detained and interrogated by the 6th Marine Landing Battalion Team (MLBT) in Brgy. Domulon, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat at about 7:30  morning of May 25.

In an alert, the group said the interrogation lasted for more than an hour and the victims’ photos were taken.

The traumatized victims were on their way to attend their Capacity Building and Ecological Seminar Workshop and community integration when waylaid by government troopers.

“Duterte’s martial law is bound to be worse than its Oplan Tokhang. With these stringent policies, Duterte is demonstrating that under his martial law, everyone is a suspect until they can prove otherwise. As every Filipino knows, especially the poor and downtrodden, proving one’s innocence to the military is often impossible,’ the CPP said.

“As Duterte’s martial law is against the people, it is imperative for the New People’s Army (NPA) to take action to oppose and fight it in order to defend the people’s rights and interests,” the group said, explaining its earlier statement ordering its armed wing to conduct military operations against state forces in response to Duterte’s martial law declaration.

 Yesterday, Bello scored CPP’s directive to the NPA to intensify attacks as “totally misplaced borne out of a grossly distorted appreciation of the President’s intention.”

“We are deeply disturbed that the CPP made a false reading of the intents of President Duterte in placing Mindanao under Martial Law,” Bello said in a statement, explaining the GRP chief executive saw the need “to restore law and order, protect the lives of the citizens and preserve private and state properties.”

Bello added the CPP’s order is senseless and betrays “the absence of sincerity of the CPP in the negotiating table.

He demanded the CPP recall its directive or be accused of abetting the “criminal and terror acts of the Maute group and a gang of Moro bandits.”

Bello denied Duterte’s martial law is also after the NPA.

“The President, in no uncertain terms, categorically declared he was not after the NPA,” he said.

“Loose Lorenzana”

Bello’s statement, however, runs counter to Lorenzana’s earlier statement that the NPA is one of the targets of Duterte’s Mindanao-wide martial law order.

In a press briefing last May 23, Lorenzana said Mindanao was placed under Martial Law “because there are also problems in Zamboanga, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and also in Central Mindanao in the BIFF (Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters) area.”

“We also have problems in Region 11, the extortion activities of the New People’s Army,” Lorenzana said in Filipino.

“If it was true that martial law in Mindanao is not directed against the NPA, then Bello must inform Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana,” the CPP countered.

“In announcing the declaration of martial law, it was Lorenzana himself who cited the NPA as one of the GRP’s ‘problems’ why the entire Mindanao had to be put under martial law,” it added.

Sison also scored Lorenzana’s statement, saying he deplores Lorenzana’s statement that the NPA is also a target of Mindanao-wide martial law. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

 

 

Church condemns ‘illegal arrest and detention’ of Bishop

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THE Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) has accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) of illegally arresting one of its bishops, his wife and their driver in Ozamiz City in Mindanao last night.

The church said IFI Ozamiz Bishop Carlo Morales, his wife Marie Teofifina and driver Sadome Dalid were “illegally arrested, handcuffed and illegally detained in jail” even after he has identified himself as a prelate.

“Still he was accorded with such maltreatments,” IFI Pagadian Bishop Antonio Ablon said. Read more

Tiamzons tailed anew; other consultants also in danger

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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)

Mariano and Taguiwalo good for CASER implementation–Sison

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JOSE Maria Sison expressed alarm the Rodrigo Duterte government may find it hard to implement socio- economic reforms if the remaining “good appointees” in the cabinet fail to get the nod from the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Reacting anew to the rejection of former environment and natural resources secretary Gina Lopez last week, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison said they have begun to doubt whether Duterte will be able to push legislation that will enable the implementation of the prospective Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER) they are currently negotiating with the Duterte-led Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

“If (Agrarian Reform secretary Rafael) Ka Paeng Mariano and (Social Work and Development secretary) Judy Taguiwalo are rejected by the CA, their rejection will be further proof that Congress will also reject the social and economic reforms agreed upon through CASER and will perpetuate the conditions for the civil war in the Philippines,” Sison warned.

The Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Social Work and Development, Department of Environment and Natural Resources are the GRP agencies expected to implement the prospective agrarian reform, environmental protection and social services agreements currently being discussed by the NDFP and the GRP in their ongoing formal peace negotiations.

On the other hand, Sison said if the CA confirms Mariano and Taguiwalo, it will have a positive and favorable effect on the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.

“It will raise hopes that Congress will make the laws to carry out the obligations of the GRP in CASER,” he said.

Like Lopez, NDFP nominees to the Duterte cabinet Mariano and Taguiwalo have performed “excellently,” Sison said.

“They deserve the public acclaim that they have received. They have proven themselves to be highly qualified, hard working, effective and honest public servants,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sison scored Senator Panfilo Lacson’s statement over radio station dzBB last Sunday that CA members were afraid the New People’s Army (NPA) might kill them if they reject Mariano and Taguiwalo.

“There were some members who expressed the possibility that they might be ambushed if they returned to their provinces because they openly rejected Secretary Taguiwalo,” an Inquirer.net report quoted Lacson to have said.

Lacson said this was the reason the 24 CA members decided on secret balloting.

But the Inquirer report pointed out that the secret balloting rule was first adopted two months ago when the CA was deliberation on former foreign affairs secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr.

“The statement of Lacson is uncalled for. The NPA has never made any physical threat to the CA,” Sison said.

“What the CA should be concerned about is the public opprobrium for rejecting the good appointees of Duterte,” he added. # (Report and photo by Raymund B. Villanueva)

NDFP endorses Mariano, Taguiwalo and Lopez confirmation

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THE National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) endorsed the confirmation of three Rodrigo Duterte cabinet secretaries a few days before their final Commission on Appointments (CA) hearing by Congress.

In a statement, NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said they look forward to continue working with the three officials in the framework of peace negotiations and achieving meaningful reforms to benefit the Filipino people.

“The (NDFP) Negotiating Panel views in very positive terms the presence of DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) Secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano, DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo and DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) Secretary Gina Lopez in the Duterte cabinet,” Agcaoili said.

“Their inclusion bodes well for the entire peace process as they would be in a position to help push much-needed socio-economic reforms,” he added.

Mariano and Taguiwalo were NDFP nominees to the Duterte cabinet.

Mariano, Taguiwalo and Lopez have all been previously bypassed by the CA and will get their final chance at confirmation at the Senate on May 3, Wednesday.

The NDFP said Mariano and Taguiwalo will play an important role in implementing a program of free land distribution for poor peasants and in implementing expanded social services for the people, respectively.

Lopez on the other hand has earned the underground group’s admiration for her strong stance against destructive mining.

She also recently expressed willingness to work with the New People’s Army in protecting the environment, generating eco-friendly livelihood in mining affected areas and attending the formal peace negotiations between the NDFP and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).

“They will no doubt be helpful in implementing a Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER) that may be agreed upon by the GRP and NDFP,” Agcaoili said of the three.

The NDFP likewise warned the officials’ removal from office “by reactionary interests” will run counter to the people’s long-standing desire for reforms in government.

Meanwhile, activist groups launched a social media campaign since yesterday calling for a rally at the Senate on May 3 in support of the three secretaries.

“There is an urgent need to show broad support for the progressives in the Duterte cabinet and thwart plans by the CA to confirm only those who wish to uphold “business as usual” politics. It is not every day that we have cabinet officials who truly work for the interests of the people and defy well-entrenched elite interests,” the online appeal said.

“Let us amplify the call to confirm Judy, Ka Paeng and Gina. Join us also in the mobilization and gallery trooping on May 3, 9am at the Senate,” it added. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

NPA frees police officer in Bukidnon

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THE New People’s Army (NPA) freed a third prisoner of war (POW) yesterday, April 27, in Barangay Dominorog, Talakag, Bukidnon, a National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant said.

The NPA turned over Police Officer 2 Gerome Anthony Natividad to Regional X Peace and Order Council chairperson and Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno and Sowing the Seeds of Peace convenor and Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop Felixberto Calang, NDFP Negotiating Panel Ceasefire Committee member Alfredo Mapano said.

Natividad was found to be innocent of crimes against the people and was released in accordance with the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, Mapano said.

Mapano added Natividad should have been released earlier but the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “refused to cooperate by ordering a Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO).”

“The NPA custodial unit found a way to release Natividad without a SOMO as it is confident Moreno and party would not be harmed by the AFP anyway,” he said.

Earlier, Ka Cesar Renerio, NDFP-North Central Mindanao Region in a February 23 statement assured Natividad’s family he will be released unharmed, provided the AFP ceases its military operations in the region.

Natividad was captured at a checkpoint put up by the NPA’s Mt. Kitanglad Sub-regional Command at Kilometer 28, Duminorog, Kitanglad last February 9.

The NDFP committed to the release of four POWs in its joint statement with its Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) counterpart in The Netherlands last April 6.

“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,” the statement said.

Sgt. Solaiman Calocop and Private First Class (PFC) Samuel Garay, both captured in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat on February 2 were released last April 19 in Matanao, Davao del Norte province.

PFC Edwin Salan, captured in Alegria, Surigao del Norte on January 29, is the last remaining NPA POW.

Ceasefire committee meeting

Meanwhile, the NDFP and GRP ceasefire committees met at the Royal Norwegian Embassy this afternoon in accordance with activities set by both parties at the end of the fourth round of formal negotiations earlier this month.

Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Erik Førner hosted the meeting.

“We just exchanged views on our respective definitions of ‘buffer zones’ and ‘hostile acts’ and we presented our respective views on the matter of third party monitoring of the prospective joint ceasefire,” Mapano said.

Earlier, GRP Ceasefire Committee head Hernani Braganza announced on his social media accounts they met with AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año and staff last April 27 on the progress of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.

The GRP and the NDFP are set to hold their fifth round of formal negotiations in Noordwijk Aan Zee, The Netherlands starting May 26. # (Raymund B. Villanueva/Photo of PO2 Natividad from Ang Kalihukan You Tube Channel)