THE peace talks between the Philippine Government peace panel and the National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants formally resumed, on Monday, the day after the New People’s Army (NPA) declared a seven-day unilateral ceasefire.
It was a historic moment when two old comrades finally hugged each other after 30 years as released from Philippine jail finally met up with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) leader in exile Jose Ma. Sison at the Holmenkollen Park Hotel in Oslo, Norway.
It was a reunion of sorts as several former members of past government peace panels are now gathered together as one government peace panel, while the leaders in exile finally are able to sit down with their consultants who have been behind bars as political prisoners.
In his opening statement, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza urged all those in the panel to “stay the course” in the pursuit for peace.
“As I always say: ‘Let's all stay the course! No matter what! Who knows? This may perhaps be our last chance in our own lifetime to make this shared dream come true,’” Dureza said.
He, however, admitted achieving peace is a difficult task, enumerating the different realities the panels face: 40 years of conflict, Filipinos fighting Filipinos, about 40 rounds of “off and on” peace talks, around 15 deadlocks, last peace talks (being) 5 years ago, all spanning six presidencies.
It was a reminder that government and the CPP-NDF-New People’s Army have been at it since the Marcos dictatorship has been ousted, but nothing has come out of these.
“I was a young Davao congressman then when I first joined the fray as Panel Adviser representing the House of Representatives. I and Secretary Bebot Bello were 30 years younger then and I am amazed that we are still here today! I still see old timers here on our side of the table like former PAPP Rene Sarmiento, former Sec Nani Braganza, including Secretariat chief Carla Munsayac, lawyer Sedfrey Candelaria, among others. And as I scan across the other side of the table, I still see the same still familiar looking faces, Joma Sison, Louie Jalandoni, Fidel Agcaoili, Coni Ledesma, Julie de Lima , Asterio Palima , Ka Satur Ocampo and others,” he said.
“We all went through several break down of talks. We stumbled due to ‘preconditions’, so-called ‘hardline non-negotiable positions’, the ghost of the now obsolete ‘status of belligerency’ rearing its ugly head from time to time. There were many more of these obstacles,” Dureza said.
But he said “one thing different through the six presidencies, is the spirit by which the peace talks has been called by President Rodrigo Duterte.”
“President Rodrigo Duterte has committed his presidency to bringing a definitive and final peace settlement to our troubled land. We who are in government are working now under his leadership and guidance to bring about this commonly shared dream,” Dureza said.
No other president, he pointed out, has allowed the release of key political detainees and facilitated their immediate travel to Oslo for the talks.
The speed by which the release was granted and the travel documents were prepared manifest the sincerity of the government to achieve peace like never before.
The spontaneous unilateral declarations of ceasefire also showed willingness to sit down and talk, he added.
Thus, he urged the panels to sit down and talk peace with sincerity and not be there to outwit or out-manoeuvre each other.
“This should be more of a coming together of Filipinos interested to see changes in the land -- in our land, to be shared for and by all. If we can, let's no longer call our engagements as negotiations but instead a shared national ‘conversation’ a ‘dialogue’ where we find together common grounds, bridge the divides and seek common dreams to share,” Dureza said.