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Wednesday, January 28, 2003
Gov't to pursue charges vs Rosal, Sison
MANILA -- The Arroyo administration will mount military and diplomatic strategies against communist guerrillas while giving their leaders a "last chance" at a political accord, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Monday.
State lawyers were also asked to indict CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, in self-exile in the Netherlands, and CPP spokesman Gregorio Rosal for the murder of former NPA leader Romulo "Ka Rolly" Kintanar.
President Arroyo also approved on Monday the 29-page draft of the Final Peace Accord between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF).
The government's resolve to pursue the two-track strategy against the communist guerrillas was bolstered by the killing of Kintanar.
"In admitting to the assassination of Romulo Kintanar, the NPA really tags itself as a terrorist and criminal organization of the worst kind. This clearly justifies the government's policy of counter-force against the CPP-NPA, which has lost all legitimacy in its struggle," Bunye said in a statement.
"This conflict shall be settled by resorting to all the means within the democratic arsenal, including the use of legitimate force and principled negotiation under our constitution," Bunye added.
Bunye said this matter should be brought to the international community so that efforts can be extended to bring the perpetrators to the bar of justice.
The Central Police District and the National Bureau of Investigation are collating evidences against Gregorio Rosal and CPP founder Jose Maria Sison in relation to Kintanar's death.
Rosal, CPP's spokesman earlier acknowledged the NPA was behind Kintanar's murder, a punishment for "gangster" acts and an alleged plot to murder Sison.
The NPA is the armed wing of the CPP, which has waged an armed campaign here for 34 years.
If the justice department finds probable cause against Sison and a local court issues a warrant for his arrest, the government will work through diplomatic channels to return Sison to Manila, Interior Secretary Jose Lina said Monday.
While there is no extradition treaty with Holland, Lina said there could be a special bilateral arrangement to transfer a person wanted for a major offense such as murder.
Defense Committee Chairman Senator Ramon Magsaysay in reaction called the NPA's admission as "distressful," urging the government to bring Kintanar's killers to the bar of justice.
"Those responsible for the murder of Kintanar must answer for their crime," Magsaysay said.
Peace Pact
The President approved a draft peace agreement to offer the rebels this week.
Bunye, during his regular press briefing in Malacaņang, said the approved draft of the final peace pact would soon be presented to the CPP-NDF panel.
He said the President wanted to inform leaders of the CPP-NDF that the government, particularly the administration of President Arroyo, adheres to the peaceful settlement of the problem.
"So whatever the outcome, we just would like to restate that the government of the Philippines is very sincere in looking for peace, in wanting peace
and seeking a lasting solution to our internal conflict," Bunye said.
He said the peace pact is something that the government peace panel led by Secretary Silvestre Bello III had worked on and completed for a long time.
Malacaņang has given Secretary Bello enough time to come up with the comprehensive peace package of mutual interest to all parties concerned,
particularly the Filipino people, he added.
Bunye noted that the Filipino people have always hoped that peace would rule so that they could focus on more productive endeavors that would uplift their socio-economic conditions.
This expresses "our quest for peace. We hope -- I think everybody or every Filipino hopes -- that this conflict would come to an end as soon as
possible," he said.
Senators on the other hand urged Malacaņang to set aside its counter-dissident attention and instead proceed with its peace efforts with the extreme left.
Senator Gregorio Honasan, chairman Senate Committee on Unification, said such criminal acts must not distract the government on its goal to strike a peace pact.
He said the government must accept that the killing of Kintanar is an inevitable reality.
"While the government is talking peace, the government must also recognize and accept the reality that there are some factions that are out to create this kind of trouble. The best is for us to push on with the peace negotiations," Honasan said.
Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda agreed with Honasan and said that Kintanar's murder must not derail the peace process, which has gained significant ground in the last few years.
"We recognize the back-channeling efforts undertaken by the peace panels, but in view of what had been accomplished in the first two rounds of formal talks in 2001, I believe the GRP-NDF (National Democratic Front) peace negotiations should be resumed immediately," Legarda said.
While urging the government to relentlessly pursue peace talks with the rebel groups, Honasan said the government must also put in place the necessary peace policy to guide the ongoing process.
"The problem with our negotiations is we always move for ceasefire. This is not anymore an acceptable guide. The government must put in the necessary peace policy to guide the talks," he said.(Sunnex with Joshua Dancel/AFP) |
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