THE National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said it is ready to resume the fifth round of talks despite the government's decision to call it off on Saturday, May 27.
In response to the opening statement of Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza on May 27, the NDFP said it does not agree with the government peace panel's decision not to participate in the formal negotiations scheduled on May 27 to June 1.
The NDF, in a statement posted on the NDF International Information Office website, added that the government's persistent demand for the immediate signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement as precondition to the continuation of the formal talks is an outright violation of the Hague Joint Declaration.
The Hague Joint Declaration is an agreement signed during the two-day exploratory talks between Jose Yap, an emissary of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), and Luis Jalandoni, the representative of the NDF, on September 1, 1992 in Hague, Netherlands.
The NDFP Panel Chair Fidel Agcaoili urged for a return to the framework of agreement that defines the proper sequence in forging the comprehensive agreements on human rights, social and economic reforms and political and constitutional reforms as the solid bases for the comprehensive agreement in ending the hostilities.
The NDF said there is no truth to the claim that the GRP has complied with all of its obligations and commitments, especially the release of political prisoners who are unjustly detained.
There is also no basis for the GRP’s claim that there is a sudden and perceptible erosion of public support to the peace talks, the NDF said.
The marked progress in the talks in the past months has in fact heightened the people’s interest and confidence that the negotiations could lead to social and economic reforms that would improve their lives, the communist group added.
The government's decision, the NDF said, threatens to squander the goodwill and the gains that have already been achieved in the peace negotiations in the past nine months, especially in the crafting of a substantive agreement on social and economic reforms.
On Saturday, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza said the government "will not proceed to participate" in the scheduled peace dialogue with the communist group.
Dureza cited that both parties are currently facing "serious" challenges that need to be addressed.
He stressed that the latest instruction of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for the New People's Army (NPA) to intensify its offensives against the government forces amid declaration of Martial law in Mindanao "puts in great jeopardy as to whether or not we can still keep the course of peace in this peace table."
In response, the NDF said the NPA operations cannot be attributed to the failure of the CPP-NPA-NDFP leadership to control their ground forces.
It said the NPA were defensive and conducted counter-offensive responses to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ provocative actions and offensive operations.
The NDF added that the imposition of martial law in Mindanao is bound to further escalate the armed conflict, aggravate the human rights situation and worsen the suffering of the people.
In a press conference early Monday morning, May 29 (Sunday evening in Netherlands), Dureza reiterated that they will not participate in the fifth round of peace talks in Netherlands.
"There are no compelling reasons for us to change that decision," Dureza said.
"What is clear is that we are withdrawing from the fifth round of talks. We are not terminating the talks," GRP Negotiating Panel Chairperson Silvestre Bello III, who was with Dureza in Netherlands, said. (Jo Ann Sablad/SunStar Philippines)
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