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Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Gov't unseats peace negotiator with communist rebels (8:55 p.m.)
MALACAŅANG Tuesday said Silvestre Bello III, government peace panel chairman in negotiations with communist rebels, will be replaced and appointed as chairman of the Philippine National Oil Company-Development Management Corp.
Press secretary and presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye made the announcement following reports that Bello would be replaced for being "too soft" on the rebels.
Sources have confirmed reports that former labor secretary Ma. Nieves Confesor has been chosen as the new head of the government panel but she is still waiting for her appointment papers.
Confesor has reportedly been involved in the peace panel, although informally, since July 2004.
Bello refused to comment on the issue saying it is "crucial to the peace talks."
The new panel will reportedly also include newspaper columnist Paulyn Sicam, former Lakas spokesperson Anabelle Abaya, Rene Sarmiento, and Sedfrey Candelaria. Sarmiento has been a panel member since the early 1990s while Candelaria served as legal consultant. (Sunnex Luzon/RB)
(February 9, 2005 issue)
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