GRP-NDFP Formal Talks Hits Snag in Oslo

Luis Jalandoni, chair of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) panel, today warned that the continued blackmailing of the government panel over the "terrorist" list issue could lead to the collapse of the peace talks.

In a phone interview by Bulatlat.com, Jalandoni warned the Arroyo government, through the GRP panel headed by Silvestre Bello III, would be held responsible for scuttling the peace talks now underway in Oslo, Norway. The formal peace talks began Feb. 10 (Feb. 11 in Manila) and will last until Feb. 13.

Both sides are set to reconvene 9 a.m. (Oslo time) today after hitting a snag over the "terrorist" list that tags the Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Maria Sison and the New People's Army (NPA) as "terrorist."

In an earlier statement emailed to Bulatlat.com, Jalandoni said that because of this new obstacle the NDFP is inclined to talk negotiate instead with the next administration after the May elections.

The resolution of the "terrorist" list is part of the confidence-building measures that the GRP last January promised to settle upon the resumption of talks in Oslo. Jalandoni said the listing violated the The Hague Joint Declaration, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the political offense doctrine enshrined in the historic Supreme Court ruling on the Amado V. Hernandez case.

The NDFP has asked the GRP to call on the United States, European Commission, Canada and Australia to remove the CPP, Sison and the NPA from their "terrorist" list.

But yesterday, the GRP panel reneged on its previous commitment to formulate "effective measures" to settle the issue by demanding now the NDFP side to agree to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "enhanced peace process." The process will lead to the forging of a final peace agreement which Mrs. Arroyo early this week said will be signed before the May presidential elections, Jalandoni told Bulatlat.com.

PTC demand

In addition, the Silvestre panel also demanded from the NDFP the removal of the "permit-to-campaign" (PTC) policy of the NPA and to agree to the "lessening of violence" on civilian targets. Jalandoni hinted that the NDFP will reject both demands, saying that to lessen violence in the civil war the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should be sent back to the barracks.

All the new GRP demands, the NDFP panel chair said, constituted "blackmail" and worse, a pressure to force the Front to capitulate to the GRP.

On the first day of the talks, both panels went through the motions of formal opening signaling the resumption of formal peace talks in Oslo, Norway after the peace negotiations collapsed in mid-2001. Then in a series of back-channel talks following the opening ceremonies, the two panels met to agree on the agenda for the formal talks that would have lasted till Feb. 14. But according to Jalandoni, the GRP panel used the whole second day in the current Oslo talks to prevent full discussion of agenda item No. 4 on "effective measures against the 'terrorist' listing and thereby "block the progress of formal talks."

"The GRP Panel has brazenly told the NDFP Panel that it cannot make any agreement on effective measures against the 'terrorist' listing unless President Macapagal-Arroyo can make a judgment at the end of the current round of formal talks that the GRP has gotten enough advantages," Jalandoni said in his statement.

"The truth is out that the Macapagal Arroyo regime is not interested in serious peace negotiations and is merely trying to cause the capitulation of the NDFP through blackmail," the NDFP chief negotiator said.

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines, early this week said that although the CPP supports the peace talks the Oslo event is being hyped by President Arroyo to increase her chances in the May presidential elections. "Solutions to the roots of the current civil war should not be shortchanged by unrealistic shortcuts," he said.

Reports also said Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo wanted a peace agreement signed before the May elections but both Jalandoni and Rosal indicated this would be impossible to meet.

Controlled by military, clerico-fascists

In his emailed statement, Jalandoni also said that the GRP panel is actually under the control of the "military and clerico-fascists (pseudo-social democrats in the Philippines)," referring to the presence of Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process; Education Undersecretary Jose Luis Martin Gascon; and panel member Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, all known to be associated with the social democrats.

"In view of the position and attitude of the Macapagal Arroyo regime, the NDFP is inclined to wait for a change of regime after the May 10 elections," Jalandoni said.

Peace talks with the NDFP have been ongoing since 1987 and thus far, have resulted in the signing of 10 agreements most of them during the Ramos presidency. Talks broke down in 2001 following the assassination of Cagayan Valley Gov. Rodolfo Aguinaldo by the New People's Army. But informal, back-channel talks continued until last January where both parties agreed to resume formal peace talks.

Over the past few years, the GRP-NDFP peace talks have been hosted by the Norwegian government as third party facilitator.

Among others, the agenda of the formal talks this week included: the formal adoption of the agenda framework of negotiations and finalization of the role of Third Party Facilitator; effective measures on the "terrorist" listing; consultation with Norwegian State Secretary Helgesen concerning the role of Third Party Facilitator; NDFP proposal for Accelerated Work/GRP Proposal of an "Enhanced Negotiation; formation of the Joint Monitoring (JMC); the indemnification of victims of human rights violations under Marcos regime; and the release of political prisoners.

Had the two sides agreed on the agenda and the confidence-building measures, the talks would have moved forward through the scheduling of the formal talks on Phase Two of the peace process which is on the issue of economic reforms.

Also in the GRP panel for the Oslo talks are lawyer Rene Sarmiento, panel adviser Cerge Remonde, OPAPP Assistant Secretary Ma. Cleofe Gettie Sandoval, lawyer Sedfrey Candelaria, Rebecca Taņada, Maj. Ferdinand Baraquel and OPAPP Executive Director Carla Munsayac.

With Jalandoni for the NDFP panel are chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison, Fidel Agcaoili, Julieta de Lima and Coni Ledesma. Assisting them are Romeo Capulong, senior legal consultant; Vicente Ladlad, political consultant; lawyer Jayson Lamchek, special legal consultant for the joint monitoring committee; lawyer Marie Yuvienco, legal consultant on social and economic reforms; Rafael Baylosis and Randall Echanis, members of the Reciprocal Working Committee; and Prof. Edberto Villegas and Vivian de Lima, economic consultants. Bulatlat.com

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