A panel in the House of Representatives has adopted a resolution urging President Rodrigo Duterte to resume the government’s peace negotiations with the communist rebels and complete the comprehensive agreements of social, economic and political reforms to lay the basis for a just and lasting peace.
At a hearing conducted by the House Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity led by Rep. Ruby Sahali of Tawi-Tawi, the panel adopted House Resolution 1803.
The resolution says on Nov. 23, 2017, Duterte signed Proclamation 360 terminating the peace talks with the communist National Democratic Front. Subsequently, on Dec. 5, 2017, Duterte issued Proclamation 374, declaring the CPP-NDF as terrorist organizations.
The resolution says the peace negotiations under the Duterte administration have reached remarkable and unparalleled headway after four successful rounds of negotiations.
The resolution says continuing the peace talks will benefit the Filipino people, most of whom are poor peasants and workers, as the agreement on agrarian reform and national industrialization may address their concerns and help provide relief for their economic hardships.
“It is highly imperative that Congress hears and echoes the Filipino people’s desire for the resumption of the peace negotiations and for the GRP and NDF to forge substantive agreements that will resolve the root causes of the nearly five-decade-old armed conflict. It is the cause for a just and lasting peace itself that is the very compelling reason to continue the peace negotiations,” the resolution says.
Sahali said when they filed the resolution, she had only one thing in mind: To make sure that the GRP and the NDF returned to the negotiating table.
“Compared to the previous administration, mas dumami yung steps for peace and reconciliation in the present administration,” Sahali said during the hearing.
She expressed optimism for the resumption of the peace talks, adding that the door for peace had not been closed.
Last year, Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Isagani Carlos Zarate, a member of the Makabayan Bloc, filed House Resolution 2065 calling for the resumption of the peace talks between the GRP and the NDF, but this was not referred to the Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity.
Zarate said HR 2065 likewise called for both parties to disclose what were the agreements made during the informal talks held from March 2018 up to June 2018.
Another Makabayan Bloc member, Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao also hoped for the resumption of the peace talks.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza thanked the committee for keeping intact its intention, which is the same as that of the Executive department. Its intention was to address the historical injustice against the Bangasamoro people and address the social issues involving the negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines, he said.
“We know very well that the President had already canceled the peace negotiations, but he had said the door for resumption is still wide open. We did not totally shut this,” Dureza earlier told lawmakers.
Dureza said Duterte had earlier thought that there were some issues that hounded not the negotiations but the bigger table, which was the public.
“As you noticed very well, President Duterte engaged the CPP very decisively and he felt that there was no reciprocity on the other side despite the steps that he had taken. And he was worried that the bigger table, which is the public, might also be engaged,” Dureza added.
He said Duterte believed that he could sign any agreement, but if he did not get public support then everything would be for naught.
“That is why when he canceled it, he said we needed several months to assess the situation, take a look at the documents previously signed, validate them and find out whether these were still very valid,” Dureza said.
He said Duterte was consistent with his position that the door for the peace negotiations was still wide open, but he cited four points that the CPP must consider.
“One, there will be no coalition government. Two, a stop to the collection of the so-called revolutionary tax. Three, the venue for the talks must be made local, and four, the pursuit of negotiations and secession of hostilities must be done on certain issues to contend with,” Dureza said.