Resumption and Virtual Termination of Peace Negotiations (2001-2006)
March 9, 2001 – GRP-NDFP negotiating panels hold informal talks and agree to:
- Resume formal talks on April 26-29, 2001 in Oslo, Norway
- Uphold the validity of all previously signed agreements
- Undertake goodwill and confidence-building measures including the release by the GRP of political prisoners and the release by the NDFP of PA/Maj. Noel Buan
March 27, 2001 – GRP President Macapagal-Arroyo declares reinstatement of the effectivity of the JASIG; NDFP Chairman Orosa declares likewise
April 6, 2001 – On orders of the NDFP National Executive Committee, the NPA Melito Glor Command releases Maj. Buan in Oriental Mindoro to the ICRC and a GRP delegation as goodwill and confidence-building measure, after securing GRP suspension of military and police operations in the release area
April 18, 2001 – Solidarity Conference in support of GRP-NDFP Peace Talks, is held in Westin Plaza Hotel, Manila, with Antonio Zumel, NDFP Senior Adviser, Luis Jalandoni and top GRP officials in attendance; Jalandoni and Coni Ledesma meet President Macapagal-Arroyo
April 27-30, 2001 – Resumption of formal peace talks in Oslo, Norway, with official hosting and facilitation by the Royal Norwegian Government (RNG); the following agenda is adopted:
- Exchange of official credentials between the two panels; NDFP presents list of DI Holders in accordance with JASIG
- Confidence-building and goodwill measures
- Implementation of CARHRIHL
- Activation of RWCs on Socio-Economic Reforms and formation of subcommittees under the RWCs
- Signing of the Oslo Joint Communique (April 30, 2001)
June 1, 2001 – Informal meeting of RWC-SER subcommittees in Antipolo, Rizal
June 10-14, 2001 – Second round of formal peace talks in Oslo, Norway, with official hosting and facilitation by the RNG; GRP hands over Letters of Acknowledgement for DI Holders; talks are suspended by the GRP on June 12 in protest over the death of Col. Rodolfo Aguinaldo, a notorious human rights violator during the Marcos martial law regime
September 2001 – GRP and NDFP agree to resume formal peace talks on Sept 21-25. However, even with the extensive and meticulous preparations by the RNG, the talks are aborted after GRP Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes called for a special meeting of the Cabinet Oversight Committee on Internal Security (COC-IS) which reversed the GRP Panel decision to resume formal talks and instructed GRP Panel Chair Bello and panel member Sec. Hernani Braganza to proceed to Oslo and hold informal or “backchannel” talks instead with the NDFP panel
November 11-14, 2001 – Backchannel talks in The Netherlands between the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels to discuss the following:
- Confidence-building measures
- Finalize draft of operational guidelines for the JMC
- Finalize draft of joint statement on resumption of formal peace talks
- Release of Sgt. Jeremias Rosete, Jr and three others captured by the NPA for espionage in Far South Mindanao
November 22, 2001 – GRP Speaker de Venecia calls Prof. Sison from Mexico after attending talks between US Pres. Bush and Pres. Arroyo in Washington; De Venecia warns the NDFP that the US government will include the CPP-NPA-NDFP in its list of foreign terrorist organizations, and that the GRP can try to convince the US government not to do so provided the NDFP agrees to sign a final peace agreement with the GRP within three months; Prof. Sison invites de Venecia for informal talks in The Netherlands
November 30 – Dec 1, 2001 – Backchannel talks in The Netherlands between GRP delegation composed of Speaker De Venecia, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Gen. Eduardo Ermita, Bello, Jose Yap and Presidential Management Staff Head Silvestre Afable and NDFP panel members and consultants
Agenda:
- GRP proposal – a 3-page draft of Final Peace Agreement.
- NDFP counterproposal: Document of Understanding to Accelerate the Peace Negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP
- Confidence-building measures
The two sides work on the two drafts and finally agree on a joint “Document of Understanding to Accelerate the Peace Negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP” after marathon negotiations lasting till the wee hours of December 2; the joint document of understanding is rejected purportedly by the COC-IS when the two Parties arrived in Oslo for a meeting with the RNG prime minister
December 2, 2001 – GRP delegation and NDFP negotiating panel meet newly elected Prime Minister Kyell Magne Bondevik of the RNG. PM Bondevik promises that the Norwegian government will continue to act as facilitator and supporter of the peace negotiations
December 14, 2001 – In a forum for peace attended by GRP representatives and consultants of the NDFP at the Philippine Asian Center, Speaker de Venecia confirms the move of the US government to classify the NDFP and NPA as “terrorist groups”
December 15, 2001 – January 15, 2002 – NDFP declares one-month unilateral ceasefire on humanitarian grounds and act of goodwill to allow the armed personnel of both sides to celebrate the holiday season
January 9-10, 2002 – Backchannel talks (Bello and Braganza for GRP, Jalandoni, Agcaoili and Ledesma for NDFP) in The Netherlands
The GRP verbally presents to NDFP a proposal for a “single final peace agreement” as the culmination of a series of backchannel or informal talks; no written proposal is submitted to the NDFP; the NDFP Panel replies that since the proposal is a major departure from the The Hague Joint Declaration, it will be referred to the NDFP National Executive Committee
March 16, 2002 – GRP suspends formal talks with NDFP and announces preference for informal or backchannel talks to arrive at “a settlement within the framework of the GRP Constitution”; Malacanang calls on the NPA and MILF to “lay down your arms… join the mainstream of society”
April 12, 2002 – NDFP National Executive Committee issues its decision on GRP proposal for a “single peace agreement,” declaring it a proposal to abandon previous agreements and end formal peace talks
July 2002 – For the second time after March 2002, GRP refuses to issue suspension of military and police operations for the safe and orderly release of Sgt. Rosete and three others to a humanitarian mission headed by Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez; NDFP Executive Committee withdraws its decision to release them on humanitarian grounds to allow the revolutionary movement’s justice system to take its course
August 5, 2002 – Shortly after the visit of US State Secretary Colin Powell to the Philippines, President Macapagal-Arroyo announces the redeployment of troops involved in the just-concluded “Balikatan 02-1 RP-US Joint Military Training Exercise” to various NPA-controlled areas throughout the country, virtually declaring “all-out war” on the revolutionary movement
August 9, 2002 – US State Secretary Powell announces the inclusion of the CPP-NPA in the US list of “foreign terrorist organizations”
August 10, 2002 – Prof. Sison issues statement condemning the US and Philippine governments for being in cahoots with each other in the designation of the CPP and NPA as “terrorists” in a futile psywar attempt to intimidate and push them towards capitulation
Prof. Sison warns that the designation of the CPP and NPA as “terrorists” is likely to lead to the termination of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations and to the intensification of the civil war and even to a war of national liberation against US aggression, if the US troops join the puppets in combat against the NPA
August 12, 2002 – US Treasury Department announces financial sanctions including freezing of assets on the CPP-NPA and Professor Sison, who is also listed by the US as an “international terrorist”
August 13, 2002 – The Netherlands issues sanction regulations against CPP-NPA and Prof. Sison as “terrorists” and orders the freezing of Prof. Sison’s bank account, containing allowances received from the Dutch government as a recognized political refugee
August 14, 2002 – GRP President Macapagal-Arroyo adopts nine-point guidelines in dealing with the CPP-NPA, welcoming the US listing and practically opting for a military solution to the armed conflict.
September – October 2002 – Questions on the “terrorist listing” of the CPP-NPA and Prof, Sison are raised in the European Parliament and the national parliaments of Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Spain; 23 members of the European Parliament (MEP), 27 Swedish MPs, 10 Dutch MPs, 5 Danish MPs, 3 Belgian MPs, and one MP each from New Zealand and Canada and prominent religious, civic, human rights and international law personalities and organizations from Europe, as well as the following leaders from the Philippines: Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda, 8 MPs, two former senators, 19 Bishops (both Catholic and Protestants), the Chair of the National Council of Churches, writers, artists, academicians and more, sign petition to protest the “terrorist listing” of the CPP-NPA and Prof. Sison
October 28, 2002 – The European Council of Ministers announces its decision to include the NPA and Prof. Sison in its “terrorists list”
October 31, 2002 – GRP Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople announces that a GRP special mission which he headed had successfully campaigned among European Union member countries to include the NPA and Prof. Sison in the European Council’s “list of terrorists”. In saying that “the purpose of the diplomatic initiative was to bring pressure on the Communists to agree to go back to the negotiating table and discuss a comprehensive peace settlement…” GRP Secretary Ople confirms NDFP charge that the GRP is using the “terrorist listing” as leverage to force the NDFP to capitulate
January 17, 2003 – The GRP COC-IS finalizes the draft “Final Peace Accord” and submits it to President Macapagal-Arroyo for approval
January 30, 2003 – The GRP panel transmits by fax the draft 29-page “Final Peace Accord” to the NDFP; RNG, through State Secretary Vidar Helgesen, retransmits it by fax on February 14, 2003
February 19, 2003 – Exploratory or “backchannel” talks are held between a GRP delegation (Bello and Afable) and NDFP delegation (Jalandoni, Agcaoili and Ledesma) to explore possibilities for the resumption of formal talks; GRP delegation declares “indefinite recess” after impasse is reached on whether or not the GRP violated bilateral agreements in campaigning for the “terrorist listing” of the NPA and Prof. Sison and putting the NDFP under duress by pressuring it to accept GRP’s “Final Peace Accord”
June 2003 – State Secretary Vidar Helgesen of RNG shuttles between The Netherlands and the Philippines to meet NDFP panel and GRP officials and panel on the prospects of resuming the peace negotiations
June 26-28, 2003 – Informal talks in The Hague, The Netherlands between a GRP delegation composed of Speaker de Venecia, Gov. Jose Yap, Sec. Norberto Gonzales and Bello and the NDFP Panel to explore possibilities for resuming formal talks
October 9-11, 2003 – Informal talks in Oslo, Norway, with hosting and facilitation by the RNG; discussions on the guidelines for the JMC; possible assistance of a Swiss NGO, Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, on behalf of the RNG
November 20-21, 2003 – Informal talks in Oslo, Norway where a draft joint statement for the resumption of the peace negotiations is agreed upon; draft joint statement is signed on January 13, 2004, by the chairmen of the two negotiating panels
February 10-14, 2004 – Formal talks resume in Oslo, Norway, with hosting and facilitation by the RNG. First Oslo Joint Statement is issued on February 14 2004, containing, among others, agreement to adopt effective measures to resolve the issue of “terrorist listing” in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration, the JASIG and the CARHRIHL, to form the JMC with the signing of the Operational Guidelines for the Joint Monitoring Committee, to set aside USD150 million from the USD684 million forfeited Marcos ill-gotten wealth for the indemnification of the victims of human rights violations under the Marcos regime, and to release political prisoners. Role of RNG as Third Party Facilitator is agreed upon by both parties
March 28 – April 3, 2004 – Second round of formal talks takes place in Oslo, Norway, with hosting and facilitation by the RNG. Second Oslo Joint Statement is issued on April 3, 2004, containing, among others, agreement to take further steps to resolve the issue of “terrorist listing” and call on the international community to refrain from any action that may impede or impair the peace process, and to release political prisoners in a list of 32 submitted by Karapatan, including those already ordered release by President Macapagal-Arroyo in 2001 such as the Mamburao 7. JMC is formally convened and holds its first meeting
April 15, 2004 – Joint Secretariat of the JMC is formally convened at the compound of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in Intramuros, Manila after the second meeting of the JMC in Manila
June 4, 2004 – Inauguration of the offices of the Joint Secretariat (JS) in Immaculate Conception Building, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines with the official participation of Paul Moe, RNG Ambassador to the Philippines
June 22-24, 2004 – Third round of formal talks in Oslo, Norway, with hosting and facilitation by the RNG; no joint statement is issued but two small agreements are signed: Partial Supplemental Guidelines for the Joint Monitoring Committee and Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Third Party Facilitator, the Royal Norwegian Government
July 7, 2004 – NDFP accuses GRP of negotiating in bad faith and reneging on its obligations to set aside in an escrow account USD150M for the indemnification of the victims of human rights violations, after the NDFP learns that the full amount of USD680M of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth has been transferred to the national treasury on March 12, 2004 with the termination of the custodianship agreement between the GRP and the Philippine National Bank (PNB)
July 25-29, 2004 – NDFP Panel conducts consultations with its RWC-SER in The Netherlands through the facilitation of RNG and finishes a new draft of its Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER) in accordance with previous round of discussions with GRP RWC-SER; NDFP adopts a concrete proposal for moving the negotiations on CASER forward
August 10, 2004 – US retains CPP, NPA and Prof. Sison in list of “foreign terrorist organizations and individuals”; NDFP postpones formal talks scheduled for August 24-30 in order to give time to GRP to comply with its obligations in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration, JASIG, CARHIRHL and Oslo Joint Statements 1 and 2
August 15, 2004 – NDFP issues release order on humanitarian grounds for two POWs in Bicol (Lt. Ronaldo Fedelino and Pfc. Ronel Nemesio) to GRP representatives and ICRC after securing GRP suspension of military and police operations in two provinces
October 19, 2004 – GRP President Arroyo instructs the national security agencies of the government to “come up with a comprehensive reassessment of our strategy vis-à-vis the CPP-NPA and a review of our negotiations with the NDFP”
November 3-18, 2004 – NDFP Panel and NDFP-MC conduct consultations with NDFP-JS in The Netherlands through the facilitation of RNG
December 16-17, 2004 – Informal talks in Utrecht, The Netherlands, with GRP delegation composed of Sec. Bello, Gov. Yap and former GRP labor secretary Nieves Confesor and NDFP panel members (Jalandoni and Agcaoili) and Prof. Sison; GRP proposes indefinite or prolonged ceasefire as a precondition to the resumption of formal talks
January 2005 – GRP Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and Presidential Chief of Staff Norberto Gonzales tour Europe for six days after NDFP reveals confidential information that Gonzales has recommended the assassination of Prof. Sison in a GRP cabinet meeting presided by Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo
February 16, 2005 – GRP announces recomposition of its panel
March 15, 2005 – Police storm Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig, Metro Manila after Moro detainees falsely accused of membership in the Abu Sayyaf stage a protest action against inhuman prison conditions, killing and injuring elderly and minors included in Annex A of the 2nd Oslo Joint Statement
June 1-5, 2005 – NDFP conducts consultations with RNG as Third Party Facilitator to discuss the resumption of formal talks and presents idea of extended or cumulative ceasefires related to socio-economic projects which are localized but to be mutually and centrally approved by the GRP and NDFP and run by the local people with the direct assistance of foreign governments
June 23-25, 2005 – Dialogue between NDFP Panel and the Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity of the GRP House of Representatives; draft joint statement is agreed upon after two days of discussions; Speaker de Venecia mangles the draft joint statement after consultations with COC-IS
August 4, 2005 – GRP unilaterally suspends the JASIG; NDFP protests unilateral suspension as a violation of the provisions of JASIG
August 28-30, 2005 – Informal talks in Oslo, Norway. GRP delegation informs the NDFP delegation its only mandate is to negotiate a ceasefire and not to negotiate the resumption of formal talks; NDFP protests widespread and systematic violations of human rights and against impunity
August 27, 2005 – NDFP delegation provides GRP delegation with the ten-point Concise Agreement for an Immediate Just Peace by the NDFP National Council
January 2006 – RNG on terror listing
March 1, 2006 – GRP court imposes death penalty on Mamburao 7
March 16, 2006 – On behalf of the heirs of victims and for Bayan, Karapatan-Southern Tagalog, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Pamalakaya and Karapatan-Southern Mindanao, Karapatan-National, assisted by the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), file a complaint/communication against GRP with the UN Human Rights Committee in New York; the complaints/communications were brought on the basis of violations of the 1966 International Covenanant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), through its Optional Protocol, both of which were signed and ratified by the GRP
March 2006 – RNG on PD 1017
February – March 2006 – GRP charges with rebellion NDFP Chief Political Consultant Prof. Sison, NDFP Panel Chair Luis Jalandoni, NDFP Panel members Fidel Agcaoili and Juliet Sison, NDFP Panel Consultants Vicente Ladlad, Rafael Baylosis, Randall Echanis, Rey Claro Casambre and threatens their arrest; GRP turns the list of NDFP personnel and consultants accorded safety and immunity under the JASIG into a list of persons charged with rebellion and subject to warrantless arrest
