Following NPA ambush: Resumption of peace talks between gov’t, NDF pushed

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Groups here called for resumption of peace talks between the National Democratic Front and Philippine Government during a rally here July 2 following the recent ambush on policemen by communist rebels in Tadian, Mountain Province wherein one cop died while nine others were wounded.     

The Episcopal Church of the Philippines diocesan Bishop Brent Alawas said peace talks would pave the way to stop hostilities between the government and the NDF-Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.  

The march-rally called by Gov. Leonard Mayaen condemned the June 28 ambush of the NPA against 95 cops.

In said event, Alawas urged both sides- the NPA-CPP-NDF and Philippine Government to  “return to the  negotiating  table and   resume peace negotiations  as soon as  possible.”

“The resumption of the peace talks will provide another chance for peace to prevail. It will give us a reason to hope that the root causes of the festering problems besetting our province will be addressed in a peaceful way,” Alawas told students, government officials and folks who joined the march-rally.

The  NDF-CPP-NPA and the Philippine Government had not been talking formal peace talks since 2004 when Norway facilitated the talks.

The GRP panel tried to convince the NDF to give up ‘preconditions’ for talks to resume but failed referring to the release of  detained political consultants of the NDF.

Other “preconditions” include the demands of  the NDF on  the abolition of  peace and development programs, such as the conditional cash transfer, Pamana and OplanBayanihan as claimed by  resigned GRP peace negotiator  Alex Padilla.

Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front  spokesperson Simon ‘Ka Filiw’ Naogsan  however said these were not  “preconditions  as these are already agreed upon concerns  to be included in further talks  as contained  in an earlier  agreement --  the Oslo Joint Statement of 21 February 2011  which called for both parties to resume   talks. 

Peace talks for the past  27 years  resulted to  substantive agenda of the 1992 Hague Joint Declaration which  resulted to the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

The agreement includes a Joint Monitoring Committee to address human rights violations of either party. Though the CARHRIHL Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) has not been convening and talks have collapsed  with both sides accusing each other of “insincerity.”

Four substantive agenda cap peace talks: the comprehensive agreement on socio- economic reforms (CASER), respect of human rights and international humanitarian law, constitutional and political reform, and the cessation of hostilities. 

During said  rally, Alawas called on both sides- the NDF and the GRP   to stop violence  and pave the way for dialogue, “which if pursued with sincerity  and without reservation, could lead to the establishment of a genuine and lasting peace.”

Tribal elder and member of the  peace and order committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Alfonso Kiatong also called for negotiation to  resolve  conflicts of  both sides.