Fulfill the call of Peace based on Justice and Progress
Statement regarding the resumption of the Peace Process
between the NDF and the GRP
The attempts for the resumption of Peace Negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front became effective last January 14 to 18 at Oslo, Capital of the Kingdom of Norway. Both sides agreed to pursue the formal peace talks in February 15 to 21, and simultaneously also declared a new seven-day ceasefire.
Prior to this, the Peace Negotiations were suspended because of the presence of the U.S. in the Arroyo regime in its policies-that includes making the Communist Party of the Philippines, New Peoples Army, and the National Democratic Front be included in the list of "Terrorists" as the U.S. suggested. The previous regime also violated previous agreements, all in conjunction with the continuous sowing of intense counterrevolutionary war, State-supported Terrorism, and Human Rights Violations.
The Peace Negotiations also involved discussions regarding on means to resolve the Poliical, Socio-Economic, and other various roots of Civil War in the country.
It may never been easier, resulting in positive results starting conversations. And they declared that the GRP, under the Aquino administration, would discontinue calling the CPP-NPA-NDF and Jose Maria Sison as Terrorists. GRP also promised the Peace panel to adhere into the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity guarantees (JASIG), including guaranteeing that they will never arrest hiding NDFP consultants and will be processed as soon as possible the release of detained other consultants. Consolidated all previous agreements, the initiation of negotiations with regard to socio-economic reforms and the reorganization of the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) to monitor the compliance of both sides in the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). GRP also said last January 22 that they will release detained NDFP consultants.
The GRP Peace panel also guarantees the Freedom and attendance of NDFP consultants in the Peace Process, namely Rafael Baylosis, Randall Echanis and Vicente Ladlad. Previously, they were present at these conversations and consultations related to the agenda to discuss before they were charged with atrumped-up murder case. To avoid state repression, they forced to hide from the courts after being drawn a warrant of arrest against them. One of them, Echanis, was arrested in January 2009 and released only temporarily in August 2010.
The GRP Peace panel also promised to hasten the process of release of 14 other consultants during the first two strokes of formal conversations. They were Emeterio Antalan, Jovencio Balweg, Edwin Brigano, Peter Codaste, Edgardo Friginal, Angelina Ipong, Randy Malayao, Alfredo Mapano, Glicerio Pernia, Maria Luisa Pucray, Eduardo Sarmiento, Eduardo Serrano and Jaime Soledad. They were the NDFP Consultants arrested since the Arroyo regime suspends its implementation in 2004 JASIG. New additions to them like Tirso "Ka Bart" Alcantara, representative of the revolutionary forces in Southern Tagalog in peace talks, arrested on January 4 only under the Aquino regime, despite the re-recognition of the JASIG by the GRP.
Given the reactionary nature of the ruling regime and the majority of charge and should also resolve the implementation of previous agreements, we must continue to insist and ensure the fulfillment of the promises under the GRP. It must be done before any form of prior agreements also.
In the agreement should fulfill the GRP, starting with the JASIG and the CARHRIHL.
In addition to the release of detained consultants and staff of the NDFP, NDFP requires the GRP Peace panel to conform fully to the JASIG by discontinuing the criminal case against the consultants and other personalities of the NDFP JASIG protected them for free participate in peace negotiations. Many of these consultants has been branded as "enemies of state" and charged the trumped-up case in accordance with "legal offensives" of the previous regime.
NDFP also insist on the release of officials and forces of the CPP, NPA and NDFP arrested by the Reactionary government during the ceasefire on December 16 to January 3. The arrests made against these officals, made during a certain trip, visit or a medical treatment are just some of the many violations of the AFP within the provisions of simultaneous ceasefire.
There are still issues remaining in compliance with appropriate JASIG deal with further conversation. Must still give-resolution of the abduction of the Aquino Government other NDFP consultants, among them Leo Velasco, Rogelio Calubid, Calubad and Prudencio, and their staff. One escaped and presented with Calubid, now a witness, on how they were abducted and tortured, and how they abduct his companions. The abduction, cruelty and not being surfaced until now with other consultants and staff of the NDFP peace talks had no violations involving CARHRIHL and JASIG and the total peace process.
In accordance to CARHRIHL, the Revolutionary forces insist in the immediate release of almost 400 political detainees, like the release of not so much 400 mutineers imprisoned during the Arroyo administration. The concrete ways of freeing political prisoners are ought to be discussed. And never to be considered a condition of their release the violations of their dignity laid by the enemy, such as forced confessions and retriations.
The GRP should implement the CARHRIHL agreement in giving compensation to the victims of Martial Law and Human Rights Violations, all made during the Marcos regime. And giving compensation to the victims are a part of giving them justice and not in exchange for retriating demands against the Marcoses. It is also not included in the CARHRIHL the giving compensation to opportunist groups whose goal is money and not of Justice.
They should arrest, prosecute, and punish the ringleaders and initiators of extrajudicial killings, abduction, fear and other Fascistic crimes against Activists, strong Critics of the Regime and innocent people. Investigations regarding violations of the Arroyo Regime should be immediate and systematic, and cooperate with organizations promoting human rights.
They should also continuously monitor and combat all manipulative, dirty tactics of the ultra-reactionary and militarist Aquino regime still predominate for the counter-revolutionary policies and initiatives, and continue their fascist crimes, violations human rights, destroying the revolutionary movement and hindering the peace process.
While taking it positively the stance of the Aquino regime of not calling CPP-NPA-NDF as Terrorists, it should not just stop here-but still, make the Aquino regime decisive measures to fully dismantle the results of Arroyo-US collaboration and other Imperialist powers that made the CPP-NPA-NDF be included in the list of "Foreign Terrorist Organizations."
The NDFP is dealing with the members of the Reactionary regime during the Peace process, they are indeed opposite, and the fundamental difference between the positions of both parties on many issues, including the basic socio-economic issues which sustantibong content of the next agenda. It will cover not do the question of Land Reform, National Industrialization and insistence of National Sovereignty.
Thus, it must not underestimate the hard-earned negotiations, and it has no certainties in its fate. The negotiations should be princioled, keen and adamant in dealing with many challenges being taken. However, it must take the opportunity in order to fight for the interests and agenda of the Revolutionary forces and people and to achieve what is being reached upon while seeing the GRP reliable than the resumption of peace talks.
It is mportant to continue the efforts of both sides with kindness to generate the best conditions for holding peace talks. Should strive to achieve maximum advantage for the revolutionary movement and the people through conversation while holding the gun firmly.
The continuous accumulation of strength of the revolutionary forces and the people through adamant and firm launching of armed struggle and vigorous people's struggles is the surest way to push the peace process and lay the solid foundation of peace based on justice and prosperity.
