Jalandoni: 2-month deadline to start peace talks ‘doable’

Luis Jalandoni, former chief peace negotiator of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. (File photo by NOEL CELIS / AFP)

LUCENA CITY — The two-month deadline set by President Rodrigo Duterte for the resumption of peace talks between the government and communist rebels is “doable,” according to Luis Jalandoni, former chairman of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) panel and now its senior adviser.

Jalandoni also revealed on Sunday that there would be a back-channel talks between the NDFP and government representatives scheduled from April 9 to 13 in Utrecht in the Netherlands.

“The deadline is doable at least for the signing of the Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and National Industrialization and Economic Development, major parts of Caser,” Jalandoni, who is in Utrecht, said in an online interview with the Inquirer.

Caser is an acronym for Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms.

“So, I believe a lot could be accomplished in two months,” he said. “It might not be the complete peace agreement, but it could be substantial advancement.”

Jalandoni said the venue of formal peace talks had long been decided by both parties when they signed the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig).

“It should be in a foreign neutral venue,” he said. “This is for the security of participants from both sides and also for the security of the peace negotiations.”

However, the consultations and meetings by different committees could be held in the Philippines, Jalandoni said.

He believes that there will be no more problems for the resumption of the peace talks.

“It could be that the NDFP and President Duterte had similar goals,” he said. “Even the soldiers of the regime had indicated that it is good to have the peace talks.”

Jalandoni said there was already an initial common draft forged by the bilateral teams from the reciprocal working committees.

“It only needs finalization,” he said. “The NDFP draft of amnesty proclamation for the release of all NDFP-listed political prisoners is already there. The coordinated unilateral ceasefire drafts are also ready to be finalized this April 9 to 13.” /atm