Peace panel: Release of political prisoners not a condition on peace talks

MANILA, Philippines — The release of around 400 political prisoners will never be a condition on the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the government peace panel said Friday.

"'Yung release of political prisoners on their part and release of mga hostages nila on our part, these are only what we call confidence-building measures to show the sincerity of parties in the talks," Labor Secretary and Peace Panel chair Silvestre Bello III said in a televised press briefing in Malacañang.

The Philippine government and the NDF, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, will hold its fourth round of peace negotiations in the Netherlands from April 2 to 6.

The government peace panel is eyeing to reach a consensus on a bilateral ceasefire with the communist group by the end of the formal talks.

During the third round of formal talks in Rome, Italy last January, the government peace panel has committed to facilitate the release of three remaining NDF consultants and process the release of all political prisoners.

Bello, however, noted that the power of President Rodrigo Duterte is not as "omnipotent" as releasing political prisoners would require undergoing judicial process.

"For example if one of the political prisoners whom they would like to be released is still facing trial, the president cannot pardon the political prisoner. He has to go through the judicial process where their lawyer will file for a motion for bail and the court upon consultation with prosecution will allow bail," Bello told reporters.

The government peace panel chair said that the NDF is not adamant on the peace process despite the delay in the release of political prisoners.

"I'm sure they know that we have been exerting our effort towards their concern about the political prisoners and they also know that we are passing through a judicial process," Bello said.

Duterte earlier lifted the unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels and ordered the Philippine National Police to arrest members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

The president had also labelled the communist group as terrorists and declared an all-out war against them.

Duterte lifted the ceasefire days after the NPA announced that it was ending its own ceasefire with the government following his administration's failure to release political prisoners.