Former congressman Hernani Braganza, an emissary of the government, enters a camp of the New People's Army in Surigao del Norte
EMISSARY. Ex-congressman and former agrarian reform secretary Hernani Braganza is the government's emissary with the communists. Photo from Braganza's Facebook account
Former Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza met with key officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People's Army (NPA) in a rebel lair in Surigao del Norte on Friday, December 26.
Armed Forces spokesman Col Restituto Padilla said in a
statement that the military facilitated the security of Braganza and members of
his party who went to a rebel camp as government emissaries sent to
"follow up peace talks with the movement." The CPP celebrated its
46th founding anniversary on Friday.
"The chief of staff, in a gesture of sincerity and our
adherence to the SOMO, has requested General Aurelio Baladad of Eastern
Mindanao Command to facilitate the attendance of the members of CPP-NPA-NDF....
and the safety of Secretary Hernani Braganza and members of his party who also
attended as government emissaries who will follow up peace talks with the
movement," Padilla said.
As of 6:15 pm, Braganza had left the camp and was on his way
to the city, Rappler learned from a source who was at the camp.
Among the rebel leaders he met with were Jorge Madlos,
spokesman of the National Democratic Front-Mindanao, and Fidel Agcaoli, who
lives in exile in Utrecht
The event was both a celebration of the party's anniversary
and a peace talks "consultation" with Mindanao
rebels, the source said.
The meeting came on the day the CPP announced it was holding
negotiations with the Aquino government.
A former congressman and ex-agrarian reform secretary,
Braganza has ties with some of the key CPP leaders because he was a former
student activist under the National Union of Students of the Philippines
Braganza's presence at the camp was also meant to facilitate
the release of 3 policemen who are still being held captive by the
NPA-Mindanao, the source said.
The NPA gave assurances the cops will be released soon, the
source added.
Earlier, the NPA released two soldiers
they abducted last August 22.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source from the
diplomatic community earlier told Rappler that Braganza has been in talks with
CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison, who also lives in exile in Utrecht
A member of the Liberal Party, Braganza ran for governor of
Pangasinan in the 2013 elections. He lost.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/79057-nani-braganza-top-cpp-officials-talks
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