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House resolution urges return to peace talks with CPP-NPA-NDF

Philstar.com

March 25, 2018 | 2:35pm

House resolution urges return to peace talks with CPP-NPA-NDF

Lawmakers said resuming peace talks will benefit the Filipino people. AP, file

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:16 a.m.) – More than 60 members of the House of Representatives have filed a resolution to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to resume peace talks with communist rebels, which they said has had the most progress in the last 25 years.

According to House Resolution 1803, peace talks during the Duterte administration "have reached remarkable and unparalleled headway."

Peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which represents the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army, resumed in 2016.

"Aside from the draft of [the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms], drafts were being crafted for the Comprehensive Agreement on Political and Constitutional Reforms," the resolution reads, adding "this was the farthest advance in the 25-year peace talks."

The 61 House members who signed the resolution said continuing peace talks would benefit Filipinos, especially farmers and workers, "as the agreements on agrarian reform and national industrialization may address their issues and concerns and help provide relief for their economic hardships."

President Duterte issued Proclamation No. 360 in November 2017 formally declaring the termination of peace negotiations.

"While we agreed to resume peace talks with the aforementioned group and exerted our best efforts to accelerate the signing and implementation of the final peace agreement, the NDF-CPP-NPA has engaged in acts of violence and hostilities," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said then as he announced the signing of the proclamation.

The talks stalled in February 2017 after the NPA announced it would terminate a ceasefire with the government.

It accused the government of failing to comply with its obligation to amnesty and release all political prisoners under the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity.

Although there were back channel attempts to return to formal talks, NPA attacks on security forces – particularly on a Presidential Security Group convoy in North Cotabato in July and an an ambush in November that left an infant dead – led to the scrapping of the talks altogether.

The Department of Justice is in the process of asking a court to formally declare more than 600 alleged communist rebels as terrorists.

Among those named are former party-list lawmaker Satur Ocampo, UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, and other activists.

Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna party-list) called the support for the resolution from more than a fifth of the 292-member House encouraging.

"We are also urging our other colleagues to also co-author the resolution as there is a more urgent need and reason now to continue the GRP-NDFP peace process in the midst of escalating clashes between the military and the communist rebels," he said in a News5 report.

"Peace negotiations should continue even if both sides have not yet ceased armed hostilities. That is precisely why peace talks must proceed because the two sides are at war. The no ceasefire, no peace talks policy being pushed by the militarists elements in the cabinet practically negates the inherent purpose of a peace negotiation. It marks the nation back to Marcos’ failed military or militarist solution," he also said.

According to a News5 report, the following lawmakers have signed the resolution:

Rep. Ruby Sahali Tan (Tawi-Tawi)
Rep. Sarah Elago (KABATAAN party-list)
Rep. Carlos Zarate (BAYAN MUNA party-list)
Rep. Raul Daza (Northern Samar 1st District)
Rep. Ariel Casilao (ANAKPAWIS party-list)
Rep. Emmanuel Billones (Capiz 1st District)
Rep. Carlito Marquez (Aklan)
Rep. Leo Cueva (Negros Occidental 2nd District)
Rep. Melecio Yap Jr. (Negros Occidental 1st District)
Rep. Anthony Bravo (COOP-NATCCO party-list)
Rep. Lorna Bautista-Bandigan (Davao Occidental)
Rep. Joel Almario (Davao Oriental 2nd District)
Rep. Cesar Sarmiento (Catanduanes)
Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte (Quezon City 6th District)
Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay 1st District)
Rep. Tom Villarin (AKBAYAN party-list)
Rep. Emmi De Jesus (Gabriela Women’s Party)
Rep. Victor Yap (Tarlac 2nd District)
Rep. Noel Villanueva (Tarlac 3rd District)
Rep. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party)
Rep. Benhur Lopez (YACAP party-list)
Rep. Eric Singson (Ilocos Sur 2nd District)
Rep. Lawrence Fortun (Agusan Del Norte 1st District)
Rep. Henry Ong (Leyte 2nd District)
Rep. Raul Tupas (Iloilo 5th District)
Rep. Edwin Ong (Northern Samar 2nd District)
Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay (SENIOR CITIZEN party-list)
Rep. Salvador Belaro Jr. (1-ANG EDUKASYON party-list)
Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (SAGIP party-list)
Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. (AKO BICOL party-list)
Rep. Eugene Michael De Vera (ABS party-list)
Rep. Ron Salo (KABAYAN party-list)
Rep. Bayani Fernando (Marikina City 1st District)
Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano (Ilocos Sur 1st District)
Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. (Ifugao)
Rep. Allen Jesse Mangaoang (Kalinga)
Rep. Manuel Zubiri (Bukidnon 3rd District)
Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (Pangasinan 2nd District)
Rep. Bolet Banal (Quezon City 3rd District)
Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Negros Occidental 4th District)
Rep. Gerald Gullas (Cebu 1st District)
Rep. Wilfredo Caminero (Cebu 2nd District)
Rep. Virgilio Lacson (MANILA TEACHERS party-list)
Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang (Apayao)
Rep. Sabiniano Canama (COOP-NATCCO party-list)
Rep. France Castro (ACT TEACHERS party-list)
Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan (AMIN party-list)
Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol 2nd District)
Rep. Michelle Antonio (AGBIAG party-list)
Rep. Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba (Bukidnon 1st District)
Rep. Juliette Uy (Misamis Oriental 2nd District)
Rep. Strike Revilla (Cavite 2nd District)
Rep. Arnel Ty (LPGMA party-list)
Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. (Camarines Sur 3rd District)
Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT TEACHERS party-list)
Rep. John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto (Manila 3rd District)
Rep. Edward Maceda (Manila 4th District)
Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. (Cagayan De Oro 2nd District)
Rep. Jesus Sacdalan (North Cotabato 1st District)
Rep. Orestes Salon (AGRI party-list)
Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu (Maguindanao 2nd District)

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said the House resolution is welcome and that it is grateful that members of Congress want the peace process to go on.

"While such a resolution is not necessary as the presence of an enabling environment will be the sole determining factor, the collective voice from Congress can very well contribute to that desired enabling environment that can be basis for the desired resumption of the peace talks," it also said.