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Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Loren opposes unofficial efforts in talks with reds
SENATOR Loren Legarda Monday urged Malacañang to abandon the back channeling efforts in the government's peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF), saying the official group is sufficient enough.
At the same time, she also urged the Palace to remove Adviser on Special Affairs Sec. Norberto Gonzales from the peace process.
"I don't know what his (Gonzales) role will be because I don't see what he can accomplish that Sec. (Silverstre) Bello cannot accomplish," Legarda said.
Legarda believed that back channeling efforts, while acceptable in other conditions of negotiation, is not adequate to talking peace.
"In the peace process, how do you back channel? Can the back channeling group offer anything more than what the official group can give? What's the point?" Legarda said.
Legarda said having another group to talk peace would only create more complications than actually create peace.
"If the peace panel is adequately empowered to speak in behalf of the government, then it would be better. Why diminish their influence or authority by creating another subgroup that can dangle something better than what the official panel can," Legarda stressed.
She also doubted the credibility of Gonzales to represent the government in talking to the NDF saying the present composition of the peace panel is enough.
"I think that the members of peace panel are already acceptable to the NDF. We are talking about Sec. Nani Braganza, Riza Hontiveros, and Sec. Bello. I know that the NDF hierarchy holds these people in high esteem. So we must continue allowing these people to speak in behalf of the government," she said, obviously easing out Gonzales.
Earlier, the NDF has rejected Gonzales' representation in the back channeling efforts.
Gonzales also has already sat in back channeling talks, this time with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). (Joshua Dancel) |
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