GOVERNMENT peace negotiators have already submitted a draft amnesty proclamation to the Office of the President before leaving for talks with communist rebels in Oslo on Thursday, Oct. 6.
In a statement released Sunday, panel member Angela Librado Trinidad said they had in their possession a stamped receipt of their endorsement letter together with the draft proclamation, received by the Office of the Executive Secretary.
The draft proclamation covers 434 detained leaders and alleged members of the National Democratic Front and its political party and army—the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army.
The NDF earlier also included in the list 81 detained rebels who it wanted already released based on humanitarian grounds.
The draft proclamation will also include NDF consultants who were already released on bail and are now participating in the peace negotiations.
During the opening session of the second round of talks in Oslo, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said they understand fully the concerns raised by the NDF panel over the continued detention of their members and activists.
But he said the amnesty has to go through the process, which includes a review by and concurrence of Congress, after the President has signed it.
Government panel chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the release of the detained rebels would just be a matter of time.
“I see no reason why we cannot do it the way we are accelerating the peace process,” he added.
The draft proclamation now under review at the Palace covers only the updated list of detained rebels submitted on Sept. 15 by now NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili.
Trinidad said that aside from the amnesty, the government is reconstituting the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognizance, and Pardon to facilitate the immediate release of prisoners on humanitarian grounds.
This is in compliance with the commitment of the government panel to recommend to the President the immediate release of these prisoners.
“The guidelines have already been signed by the secretaries of the three departments [Departments of Justice, Defense, and Interior and Local Government] and is on its way to the Office of the President for review and signing,” she said.
Negotiators from both sides reported Sunday that they have agreed on common frameworks and outlines of the last three substantive agenda that will comprise the final peace agreement with communist guerrillas.
The common frameworks and outlines were completed after marathon sessions conducted several working groups and committees.
The report of the committees and groups will be submitted to the negotiating panels on both sides, which were to meet Sunday to discuss the agreements for approval before closing the second round of peace talks in Asker, Norway, a suburb near Oslo.
“The efforts extended [by the working groups and committees] of both panels are commendable. Exhibiting a great amount of patience, they literally worked round the clock and refused to be stymied by minor differences of opinions,” Bello said.
“It was a roller-coaster ride but in the end, both parties reached their desired destination. Sharing a common vision, they were willing to walk the extra mile just to move the peace process forward,” Bello added.
As expected, the longest session was reserved for the discussion on the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (Caser) which would eventually tackle the most contentious issues such as agrarian reform, national industrialization and foreign policy.
The agreed outcomes for Caser include:
• Rural equality and development to achieve food self-sufficiency;
• A sovereign, self-reliant and industrialized national economy;
• Protected and rehabilitated environment, just compensation for affected populations, and sustainable development;
• Social, economic and cultural rights of the working people upheld and discrimination eliminated;
• Sustainable living incomes for all;
• Affordable, accessible and quality social services and utilities;
• Sovereign foreign economic policies and trade relations supporting rural development and national industrialization;
• Monetary and fiscal policy regime for national development.
Both parties also agreed that even before a negotiated political settlement is reached, Filipinos may immediately enjoy the benefits of “peace dividends” derived from Caser.
“Even while the GRP and the NDF are on negotiation stage, reforms may already be implemented as a result of agreements on topics such as agrarian reform and national industrialization,” Bello said.
“We need not wait for the conclusion of a final peace agreement before Filipinos enjoy the fruits of concurrent peace negotiations,” he added.
In their report to the panels, the working committee on Caser of both parties agreed to fulfill their commitment to “endeavor to complete work within a period of six months.” An extension may be allowed provided it does not exceed more than nine months.