Members of the government peace panel are ready for the
resumption of the formal peace talks with the National Democratic Front in Oslo , Norway
“We are ready to take that trip,” Presidential Peace Adviser
Jesus Dureza said in a press conference Tuesday at the Apo View Hotel. The
members of the panel composed of Angela Librado, Noel Felongco, Rene Sarmiento,
Hernani Braganza and Chair Silvestre Bello III, travel to Oslo on Aug. 20 while
the talks officially starts Aug. 22.
The government, Dureza said, were doing all preparations
towards the resumption of negotiations and ensure that it would happen. They
are also working on the release of the other political prisoners, whose
participation in the talks is also crucial for the NDF.
The President earlier ordered concerned agencies to work on
the temporary release of key political prisoners to attend the peace talks in Oslo , Norway
Dureza said they have to be released on the basis of
official processes and for those whose cases not pending with the Supreme
Court, they are now dealing with the judicial processes in the local regional
courts where their cases are pending.
Dureza was hopeful to get them (the said political
prisoners) ready for the Aug. 22.
On Sunday, Duterte issued an ultimatum to communist movement
that the GRP peace panel would pull out if there is another explosion targeting
the government forces. He issued the warning after four members of the 25th
Infantry Battalion and the 75th Infantry Battalion died in a landmine explosion
planted by the NPA in two separate incidents in Compostela Valley
Dureza admitted however that traveling the road to peace is
not well-paved but despite the humps and bumps everything stays the course
given the recent skirmishes in Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley between
the government forces on the ground and the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels that
prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to lift the unilateral ceasefire he declared
on July 25.
It may be recalled that Duterte declared a unilateral
ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's
Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) last July 25 but lifted it after
two militiamen of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) died in an attack
by the NPA rebels in Gupitan, Davao del Norte.
Dureza said the President’s latest ultimatum was unequivocal
that if there is a landmine explosion, the government would pull out from the
talks.
In a press statement, the NDF declared to better resume
formal peace talks on Aug. 20 to 27 as this would be the venue to discuss the
mode of ceasefire and how to arrange it.
Luis Jalandoni, chair of the NDF peace panel, said he
understood Duterte’s statement on Sunday as the commander-in-chief of the AFP,
thus had the duty to show official and personal concern for his troops.
In the resumption of talks in Oslo
They will discuss the affirmation of previously signed
agreements; accelerated process for negotiations, including the timeline for
the completion of the remaining substantive agenda for the talks,
socio-economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, and end of hostilities
and disposition of forces; reconstitution of the (JASIG) list; Amnesty
Proclamation for the release of all detained political prisoners subject to
concurrence by Congress; and the Mode of Interim ceasefire.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=911998
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