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Duterte tirade may adversely affect talks–Agcaoili

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NOORDWIJK AAN ZEE, The Netherlands—The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said President Rodrigo’s latest tirade against them may have adverse effects on the peace negotiations.

NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said they are still studying all the possible implications of Duterte’s statement, adding “it will be problematic for people here (NDFP negotiators and consultants) to go home just to be arrested.”

In his speech during the 119th anniversary of the Philippine Navy in Davao City earlier today, Duterte said he is warning the leaders (of the Communist Party of the Philippines [CPP]) not to come home from the aborted fifth round of formal talks in this city.

“I will arrest all of you and throw you to the slammer. I will imprison you and all the elderly I will arrest you again,” Duterte said.

“And if needed, you will just die there inside the prison.  You know you cannot run anymore,” he added.

Agcaoili said NDFP legal advisers are looking for ways to ensure the safety of the consultants.

“When the consultants were given visas, it was made clear to them they should not seek asylum (in Europe).  With this new development, they may be forced to do so.  But it would have to be their personal decision,” Agcaoili said.

The fifth round of formal negotiations scheduled on May 27 to April 1 in this city was aborted when the GRP insisted on a joint bilateral ceasefire and a retraction of the CPP’s directive to the NPA to further intensify its attacks against government forces in light of Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao.

GRP may declare unilateral ceasefire

Agcaoili made clear the NDFP would not be forced into declaring a unilateral ceasefire in light of Duterte’s outburst.

“If the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) wants, they can declare a unilateral ceasefire with the revolutionary forces. Then we can consider it favorably,” he said.

“In doing so, the GRP would be making it very clear the target of martial law in Mindanao is only the Maute group.  They would be making it very clear the New People’s Army is not a target,” Agcaoili said.

The NDFP repeatedly said the CPP’s order to the NPA to further intensify its military operations against the Armed Forces of the Philippines was merely a reaction to GRP defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statement the NPA may be among the targets of martial law in Mindanao.

The CPP for its part cited Lorenzana’s retraction as “empty and self-contradicted by his consequent order for the military to go against the NPA,” as their reason for not rescinding its own order to its armed wing.

The group said that even as Duterte’s martial law declaration covers only Mindanao, all GRP military units and police forces have gone on red or full alert in North Luzon, Central Luzon, the National Capital Region, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Negros and Panay.

“They have imposed their threatening armed presence in public places, parked tanks in government offices and roadsides. Checkpoints have been set up as well in Tacloban City on the utterly ridiculous reason of ‘solidarity with martial law in Mindanao,’” the CPP said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva/Featured photo by Viory Schellekens)

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)

Panels end tensed first day with agreement to resume informal talks tomorrow

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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 time) as part of their ongoing efforts to save the fifth round of formal peace talks.

NDFP panel spokesperson Luis Jalandoni told reporters Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza requested for the postponement of the resumption of their panel-to-panel meeting originally scheduled at eight o’clock this evening (4 am Philippine time).

The parties met at 6:30 in the evening (12:30 am Philippine time) for the NDFP to submit a written reply to the GRP’s statement it would not participate in the fifth round of talks unless the Communist Party of the Philippines rescinds its earlier order to the New People’s Army to further intensify its military operations against state forces.

The NDFP also said the GRP asked them to sign a bilateral ceasefire agreement for the fifth round to proceed.

Reacting to the NDFP’s written reply, GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the NDFP reply is “worth looking into.”

Both the NDFP and the GRP refused to divulge the contents of the reply, however, saying they have mutually agreed to keep the current informal negotiations between themselves.

Their early evening discussion was attended by the Third Party Facilitator, the Royal Norwegian Government.

The GRP and the NDFP are still trying to save what appeared earlier in the day to be an imminent cancellation of the round, sources from both parties said.

Bello and NDFP counterpart Fidel Agcaoili were seen holding backchannel talks in between panel-to-panel discussions in apparent efforts to save the formal round.

The parties originally scheduled to hold the round’s formal opening ceremony today.

Earlier, Agcaoili said it is the third consecutive round the GRP presented conditionalities before the peace negotiations formally opened.

The GRP has been consistently asking the NDFP for a bilateral ceasefire agreement since the third round in Rome last January, to which the NDFP repeatedly replied is only possible after socio-economic reforms as well as political and constitutional reforms agreements have already been signed and implemented in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration of September 1, 1992.

Both parties said the fifth round is still possible.# (Raymund B. Villanueva)

 

 

 

Panels working to salvage 5th round

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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 negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said the NDFP Panel is ready to talk about socio-economic reforms and other substantive agenda set in their April 6 Joint Statement.

Agcaoili added their reply shall clarify to the GRP the NDFP panel could not order the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to retract its order to the New People’s Army (NPA) to further intensify their offensive operations against the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

He explained the CPP’s directive was a response to GRP defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statements that the NPA was among the targets of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Martial Law declaration over the entire Mindanao region.

Agcaoili cited bombings of communities in North Cotabato and Bukidnon that killed one civilian and injured several others in the past two days.

“There are NPA units operating in those areas,” he said.

He added that they could only recommend to the CPP in much the same way that GRP’s chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III and Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza could not order the AFP and the GRP security cluster to withdraw their all-out war policy against the NPA and lift President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration over the entire Mindanao region.

Agcaoili said they have gone as far as they could go in recommending to the CPP to reconsider its order to the NPA.

GRP’s ceasefire demand

Agcaoili revealed the NDFP panel was also told by the GRP panel it wants a bilateral ceasefire agreement signed during the fifth round.

“We have made our position clear that until we reach an agreement on social and economic reforms as well as political and constitutional reforms, there could never be a ceasefire,” Agcaoili said.

“We hope they would receive our reply positively so that, hopefully, we can proceed with the opening ceremony of the fifth round tomorrow,” Agcaoili said.

Abella’s statement wrong

GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III, for his part, clarified that Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella’s statement is wrong.

“The government of the Philippines will not proceed with the scheduled 5th rounds of peace negotiations in The Netherlands,” Abella said in a statement in Manila.

Abella’s announcement was lifted from Dureza’s prepared statement read to Filipino and Dutch journalists covering the talks.

Informed of Abella’s announcement, GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello looked surprised but said such statements should only come from the government panel present in The Netherlands.

“The fifth round is still a possibility,” Bello said.

The panels are set to meet again at five o’clock in the afternoon (local time, 11 pm Philippine time) in a last ditch effort to salvage the scheduled fifth round. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

 

GRP to NDFP: ‘We will not proceed to participate, unless…’

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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 such time as there are clear indications that an enabling environment conducive to achieving just and sustainable peace in the land through peace negotiations across this table shall prevail,” the GRP, through Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, said.

Dureza cited the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) order to the New People’s Army (NPA) to further intensify its military operations against GRP forces as a “defiant, blatant and serious challenge to the Duterte administration” as a reason for their decision.

“We want the CPP to retract their directive to the NPA,” Dureza said.

The GRP also said they are “suggesting” to the NDFP that a bilateral ceasefire agreement is signed during the round.

This is the second time the GRP submitted to its counterpart a set of demands before a formal opening to a round of formal peace negotiations.

The fourth round of talks in this city last April was postponed by a day while the parties looked for ways to respond to President Rodrigo Duterte’s four “barest conditionalities”.

“Defense of the people”

The CPP earlier ordered the NPA to “defend the people” against a possible increase of human rights violations, especially after Duterte’s May 22 martial law declaration over the whole of Mindanao.

The CPP also reacted to National Defense secretary Delfin’s Lorenzana’s statement that the NPA was among the targets of Duterte’s martial law.

GRP chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III, however, said they have already “clarified that the NPA is not among the targets of Duterte’s martial law declaration.”

Lorenzana on Saturday, May 27, said the Armed Forces of the Philippines “will not specifically target” the NPA in the government’s martial law implementation in Mindanao.

Lorenzana issued the media statement a few hours before the scheduled opening of the fifth round of formal talks and in response to NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison’s call for the GRP and the NDFP forces to unite against terrorism.

5th round still possible

The NDFP through its spokesperson Luis Jalandoni said that should the fifth round of negotiations are cancelled, “the decision was made by the GRP.”

In an interview, Jalandoni said the GRP’s demand to the CPP is a new one and it was not included in their April 6 Joint Statement that the fifth round of talks shall focus on the socio-economic reforms agenda.

He added that a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement also must only come after ground rules for its implementation have been forged by the parties.

“We are supposed to be talking while fighting like the parties have successfully done in the past, especially during the Ramos regime,” Jalandoni said.

NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said they are still trying to find ways for the 5th round to proceed but “will not be blackmailed into agreeing into a premature bilateral ceasefire agreement.”

GRP panel member Hernani Braganza said there is still hope for the round as long as both panels are in this city and are still willing to talk. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Progressives pay tribute to pro-poor bishop

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Progressive groups and leaders paid tribute to United Church of Christ in the Philippines Bishop Elmer Bolocon who died from a lingering illness last week.

In their eulogies, activists recalled how the late prelate opened his church to the poor of Tondo District.

They also recalled how Bishop Bolocon worked hard for peace even in his later years.

Bishop Bolocon is one of the outspoken UCCP Bishops who struggled against social injustices under various administrations, from Marcos to the current Duterte government. (Videography by Ivan Dexter Tolentino and Esther Anne Cabrillas / Editing by Jo Maline D. Mamangun) Read more

Agcaoili explains the NDFP-GRP Agreement on the Joint Interim Ceasefire

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National Democratic Front of the Philippines chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili explains their Agreement on the Joint Ceasefire Agreement.

In an interview in Noordwijk Aan Zee, The Netherlands last April 6, 2017 during the fourth round of formal negotiations, Agcaoili explains a joint ceasefire is yet to be agreed upon pending the approval of ground rules and other related issues.

He also said a joint ceasefire must only come after the prospected Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms shall have been signed. 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)

Gina Lopez to Joma’s invitation to the peace talks: ‘Yeah, I’ll go’

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ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources secretary Regina “Gina” Lopez said she is willing to attend the formal peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Asked for her reply to NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison’s invitation for her to attend the next round of formal talks, Lopez said, “Yeah, I’ll go.”

Sison earlier invited Lopez to the formal negotiations following her pronouncements she loves the New People’s Army and that she considers them selfless people only on the lookout for the welfare of poor Filipinos.

“The desire of Gina Lopez to work with the NPA for peace and development is welcome by the NDFP.  It is directly related to the environment, agrarian reform and rural development now being negotiated under the substantive item Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms,” Sison said on his Facebook account.

“It will be fine if Gina attends the fifth round of formal talks,” Sison Added.

But Lopez said she wants to be confirmed first by the Commission on Appointments before attending.

“But if I don’t get confirmed, what will I do there? I have to have papel,” she said.

She added that she would also want to attend the formal negotiations with completed eco-tourism projects she could already present as viable alternatives to destructive activities such as mining.

“What I would want to do is to create models first than just talking.  What I would like to do is to work with the NPA and create models where we get people out of poverty in like six months to a year.  Then I’ll go talk to him (Sison): ‘Sir, look at what we did here. What if we do these everywhere?’” Lopez explained.

Lopez also said GRP President already knows her plans.

“Oh, yeah (the President knows). I like the President.  He is really matapang (brave),” Lopez said.

Environment Protection, Rehabilitation and Compensation is Part VI of the ongoing GRP-NDFP negotiations on socio-economic reforms, along with Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (Part IV), National Industrialization and Economic Development (Part V).

According to their April 6 Noordwijk Aan Zee Joint Statement, the parties said they will start negotiating on Part VI of the socio-economic reforms agenda. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

2 NPA POWs to be released tomorrow

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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)