An open letter to Fidel Agcaoili, NDF

I am fascinated by your firm and unmovable stand that peace negotiations cannot possibly be held here in the Philippines because of the sad experiences you have had way back in 1987 or close to 30 years ago.

Your position could have been readily acceptable had the experience you are talking about happened in recent months or years and therefore involve the same military officers.

I think, almost all Juan, Pedro and Maria know that the military and police establishments are different from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front in terms of the composition of its leadership. While the leadership of the C-N-N practically remained the same since 1987, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as well as the Philippine National Police (PNP) change as often as the incumbent head reaches the mandatory retirement of 55 years old or everyone or two years.

In her statement hailing the ongoing peace talks in Rome, Norwegian facilitator Ambassador Elisabeth Slattum said, “The peace process needs the patient support and involvement of the Filipino people.”

Can you please tell us, the 12,290,696 who have responded to our YES FOR PEACE campaign since 1988, “How can we possibly support and get involved in the peace process when the peace talks are held halfway across the world and we are only fed what you have agreed upon with the negotiators of the government of the Republic of the Philippines only after the fact?”

Have you ever thought of the possibility that the Filipino people may even reject the agreement that you may eventually forge with the government just as the people of Colombia rejected the peace agreement entered into by the FARC and the Colombian government despite the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to its President because of the said agreement?

Since you took it upon yourselves to advance the rights of the Filipino people without our expressed or even implied permission, can you possibly also unilaterally take it upon yourselves to advocate for our individual and collective human right to peace?

In behalf of the silent millions of KaBayanihans of YES FOR PEACE (please visit yesforpeace.com or google and yahoo search “yes for peace” for background information), I look forward to your reply that I hope can likewise be published in this paper.

Mabuhayang Sambayanang Filipino! Maraming salamat po. – ERNESTO ANGELES ALCANZARE, Lead Organizer, YES FOR PEACE