ANGELES CITY --- The mayor of this city described the signing of an agreement on an interim joint ceasefire by the peace panels of the Philippine government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Noordwijk Netherlands on April 5 a “breakthrough.”
“This is a major breakthrough. This could lead to a comprehensive ceasefire agreement which will pave the way for a just and lasting peace in our country,” said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who was among the signatories to the agreement as adviser of the GRP panel.
The other signatories were GRP panel chairman Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, GRP panel members Hernani Braganza, Rene Sarmiento, Angela Librado-Trinidad and Antonio Arellano, Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, NDFP panel chairman Fidel Agcaoili, NDFP panel members Juliet De Lima, Coni Ledesma, Asterio Palima and Benito Tiamzon, NDFP chief political consultant Jose Ma. Sison and NDFP senior adviser Luis Jalandoni.
Ambassador Elisabeth Slâttum of the Royal Norwegian Government also signed the document as third party facilitator.
Ceasefire guidelines and ground rules shall be formulated by the GRP-NDFP Joint Ceasefire Committee to govern the temporary cessation of hostilities.
The agreement directed the said committee to “meet even in-between formal talks to discuss, formulate and finalize the guidelines.”
“The talks will resume in May this year and hopefully we can fast track the agreements on substantial issues on social and economic reforms, and political and constitutional reforms,” Pamintuan said.