Peace talks advocates urged the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to redouble efforts to reopen formal peace talks a year after the signing of the November 20, 2023 Oslo Joint Statement.
In a gathering in Manila last Thursday, the Council of Leaders for Peace Initiatives (CLPI) and other peace groups said they continue drawing hope from the main points of the Statement that speak of the “seriousness” of the two Parties to address the causes of the armed conflict in the country.
“We hold fast to the official pronouncements of both Parties of their commitment to stay the course and unite on a framework for restarting the peace negotiations and overcoming remaining obstacles,” the CLPI said.
The group however expressed concern over “heightened” government counterinsurgency operations against Leftist revolutionary groups they said are obstacles to efforts in reopening formal negotiations.
The group questioned if GRP’s military operations, along with its barangay “development” projects and a surrender and reintegration program, will suffice to end the 56-year old civil war in the Philippines.
“On the contrary, such operations, projects, and programs have the opposite outcome of resulting in more human rights violations, development aggression, corruption, and increasing the social conflict in rural and urban areas,” CLPI said.
It added it is also alarmed with the recent arrests of three NDFP peace consultants covered by safety and immunity guarantees who are “necessary and indispensable if the two Parties are to be able to return to the negotiating table.”
Porferio Tuna, Simeon Naogsan and Wigberto Villarico were arrested in succession in various places last month.
“We call for the release of the many other consultants who have been arrested and detained since President Duterte called off the peace process in 2017,” CLPI said.
The group also expressed concern about the recent incidents of enforced disappearances of activists and human rights and environmental defenders.
“This is anathema to peace,” CLPI pointed out.
The group said a negotiated peace agreement would benefit the Filipino people.
“[O]ur people, especially the most vulnerable and underprivileged among the basic sectors — the jobless, the underpaid and overworked; the hungry, sick and distraught families; those whose human rights are routinely violated — are looking for solutions to income inequality, social injustice and impaired democracy,” it pointed out.
“We thus call on the GRP and the NDFP to redouble their efforts and hasten the process of reopening the formal peace negotiations if our people are to be reenergized and convinced to support the peace process as the better way to bring about a just and lasting peace in our land,” it added.
CLPI said it is working in parallel with the Citizen’s Alliance for Just Peace—an alliance of three major peace networks composed of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform, Pilgrims for Peace, and Waging Peace Philippines – in support the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
