NDFP doubtful of peacetalks resumptions

3 MIN READ

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) expressed doubts wether the resumptions of the peace-negotiations with the Governement of the Republic of the Philippines will push through because of the latters violations on their previous agreements.

In an e-mailed statement, the NDFP said the GRP is in gross violation of the agreement between the NDFP and the GRP negotiating panels on June 15. The two agreed on the release of detained NDFP consultants in compliance with the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

The NDFP stated that until now, the GRP failed to release any of the detained NDFP consultant and to dismiss the charges against those with warrants of arrest. The NDFP also said contrary to the claims of Office of the Presidential Affairs on Peace Process (OPPAP) Secretary Avelino Razon.

Elizabeth Principe, one of the NDFP consultants who was arrested by the government was released not because of the June 15 agreement but because of the legal victories over a series of trumped up charges against her.

Principe was forcedly taken by eight men believed to be members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on November 28, 2007 in Cubao, Quezon City.

The GRP and the NDFP negotiating panels earlier agreed on the implementation of the JASIG and the exchange of draft proposals as measures in thge preparations of their formal talks.

“Because of the GRP violation of the aforesaid agreement, it is now doubtful whether the meetings scheduled for August 28 to September 5 in Oslo would be held.

There are strong indications that the GRP intends to scuttle the resumption of formal talks. The GRP has shown bad faith and has cramped the material time for the arrangement of travel documents of the NDFP consultants,” NDFP said.

The NDFP added that another major indication that the GRP wants to scuttle the Oslo meetings is its attempt of making the release of jailed Kilusan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas Deputy Secretary General for External Affairs Randall Echanis and other detained NDFPconsultants hard by questioning it at the Supreme Court.

Echanis, 60 was abducted by joint elements of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines last January 28 at Bago City, Negros Occidental while holding a consultation with sugar-workers associations and unions. He was later brought to Leyte where he was charged with mulitple murder along with Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo implicating them to the mass graves claimed by the military as a Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples’ Army “killing fields” in towns of Leyte.
The NDFP said temporary release of Echanis by the GRP is extremely malicious as it is limited to six months and that he is made a GRP-hostaged consultant.

“It is therefore absolutely necessary for the lawyers of Echanis to make a countermanifestation to the manifestation of the office of the Solicitor general for his conditional release. Like all the other consultants, Echanis has been subjected to false charges in violation of the JASIG and is now kept in prison also in violation of the JASIG,” the statement said.

On August 1, another NDFP consultant Alfredo Mapano was arrested in Cagayan De Oro City while visiting his wife and children. The CPP in its statement protested the said arrest and lambasted the GRP’s insincerity on the supposed lifting of the suspension of the JASIG. The military later said that they did not release Mapano after he failed to present his I.D. or any documents proving that he is an NDFP consultant.

The NDFP said the GRP offcials have been issuing press releases with the illusion that it is doing its part to pave the way fro the resumptions of peace talks. The NDFP said that so long as the GRP does not comply with the Jasig and their agreement on June 15, the meeting in Oslo and probably the entire peace negotiations is in a blur. # nordis.net