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Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Gov't mulls taking back immunity given to communist rebels (10:04 a.m.)
MANILA -- Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government is studying the possibility of receding the decision to lift the suspension of the
Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee (Jasig) following new
pronouncements from the Communist Party of the Philippines-National
Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) that it rejected the idea of returning to
the negotiating table with the Arroyo administration.
Ermita said the indecision on the side of the NDF is not helping the peace process.
“Kaya mayroon Jasig (That is why there is the Jasig), we want the atmosphere for the talks to be good, eh kung ayaw na nilang makipag-usap (if they do not want to talk) for their own reason, eh di siguro (perhaps) we
might just consider our decision of lifting the order to lift the effect of
Jasig,” he said.
Ermita said they would again talk to the government panel negotiating
with the CPP-NDF led by Ma. Nieves Confessor to determine if they should
suspend the Jasig again.
The Jasig was ordered suspended following earlier pronouncement of NDF
leaders that it would wait for a new administration before returning to
the peace negotiating table.
The suspension was supposed to take effect last September 3 but the government withdrew the suspension following the decision of both panels to resume formal talks during back channel talks late in August in Norway.
The talks was initially set to resume October 1. The agenda would include
the possible declaration of a ceasefire.
Ermita said the government is intent on keeping communication lines
open with the NDF despite the group’s indecision.
Meanwhile, Ermita announced that talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) is expected to resume in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in October. (JMR)
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