By LUIS G. JALANDONI
Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is for the resumption of the formal talks in its peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP). But it firmly rejects the attempt of the GRP to precondition the peace negotiations with a ceasefire agreement calculated to violate the existing mutual agreements.
By LUIS G. JALANDONI
Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is for the resumption of the formal talks in its peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP). But it firmly rejects the attempt of the GRP to precondition the peace negotiations with a ceasefire agreement calculated to violate the existing mutual agreements.
GRP Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo unfairly lays the burden of resuming the formal peace talks between the GRP and the NDFP on the revolutionary movement by calling on the NPA to sign a ceasefire agreement. But in fact, he proposes to scuttle the peace negotiations by insisting on the violation of existing agreements by the GRP.
He diverts attention from the fact that the GRP has maliciously refused to comply with its obligations in accordance with agreements that have been signed by the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels and approved by their respective principals and are therefore binding and effective.
The GRP has violated the principle of national sovereignty and the principle of non-capitulation stipulated by The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 by its complicity with the US in the “terrorist” listing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s Army (NPA) and Prof. Jose Maria Sison, the NDFP Chief Political Consultant.
This unjust and baseless “terrorist” listing also violates the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) signed and approved in 1995, which strictly provides safety and immunity to all those involved in the peace negotiations.
It also violates the Hernandez political offense doctrine and basic democratic rights provided for in the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) of 1998.
The GRP must be held accountable for this complicity in violating the Filipino people’s national sovereignty.
The GRP has not honored its word given in the Oslo Joint Statements I and II of February 14 and April 3, 2004 respectively, regarding effective measures to resolved the issue of “terrorist’ listing, the release of political prisoners and the indemnification of victims of human rights violations under the Marcos dictatorship.
The NDFP rightly upholds the sequence of the substantive agenda as agreed upon in The Hague Joint Declaration, which puts the end of hostilities only after economic, social, and political issues at the root of the armed conflict are properly addressed. The GRP precondition of ceasefire before the resumption of formal talks is not acceptable. Let the GRP comply with its obligations in accordance with the agreements it has signed and approved. The formal talks must be resumed in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration, the JASIG, the CARHRIHL and other agreements already signed and approved by both Parties.
