Permanent truce with NDF still possible by Dec. 10 --Bello

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 22): Permanent truce with NDF still possible by Dec. 10 --Bello

The chair of the government’s peace panel in talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) said on Tuesday he remains hopeful that a permanent ceasefire agreement between the two sides would be reached by Dec. 10 despite difficulties on some contentious issues.

“We have not yet reached a consensus on several terms and conditions. But we are not giving up that by December 10, we would have a signing of a joint bilateral permanent ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire which would eventually lead to a cessation of hostilities,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said during a press briefing in Malacañang.

He said that they continue to hope to sign the joint bilateral ceasefire on the symbolic date as Dec. 10 is International Human Rights Day.

However, the chief peace negotiator said the government and the NDF have yet to agree on issues that include what are considered as hostile acts, what is considered a battle zone and who will constitute the monitoring team that will monitor the implementation and compliance with ceasefire, among others.

“Like for example, is collection of revolutionary tax considered a hostile act? Medyo madugo ‘yan (it's a sensitive issue),” he pointed out.

But in case the signing of the joint ceasefire agreement won’t push through on Dec. 10, Bello said he has a gentleman’s agreement with NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili to extend their respective unilateral ceasefire declarations.

“For the sake of our public, the people, I told him (Agcaoili) that it would be better if we announce that we are extending (unilateral declarations) so that our countrymen would have peace of mind, especially during the Christmas season. So that’s very possible,” Bello said.

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