Peace groups ask military to cease fire in selected Mindanao areas

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Peace advocates are calling for a suspension of military operations (SOMO) in selected areas in Mindanao to ensure the safety of government men the New People’s Army (NPA) has been holding as captives.

The captives include four personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), whom the rebels held in Bukidnon following the rescue of a ranking rebel official being transported to the Davao Penal Farm in Davao del Norte on July 21.

The rebels were also holding in captivity Lingig, Surigao del Sur Mayor Henry Dano and his two escorts since August 6.

Military operations are ongoing in the hinterlands of Davao Oriental, North Cotabato and Bukidnon as the rebels rejected earlier calls to free the hostages. Clashes have been reported in these areas since early this month.

“We fear that continued military operations will only put the lives of NPA prisoners of war in jeopardy,” the group “Sowing the Seeds of Peace in Mindanao” said in a statement Wednesday.

The SOMO could also pave the way for the resumption of the stalled talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the group said.

“We make this humanitarian appeal to civilian authorities to effect the SOMO to allow negotiated political resolution to the conflict,” Sowing the Seeds of Peace said.

Carlos Isagani Zarate, secretary-general of the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) and Bishop Felixberto Calang of the Iglesia Filipina Independencia (IFI), said the SOMO should be discussed at the levels of the peace panels.

“Both parties should be sincere enough to review the past agreements and to resume the talks because peace is very significant to the lives of the people,” Calang said.

He also said that the government had the responsibility to pursue peace and to address the root causes of the armed conflict.

The National Democratic Front (NDF) called off the scheduled bilateral meetings of the reciprocal working committees on the socio-economic reform in June and this month pending the release of 14 NDF consultants the government has been holding.

In a joint declaration made during the resumption of talks in February, the government committed to release political prisoners under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee (JASIG).

Cherry Orendain, Anakbayan spokesperson for Southern Mindanao, said the government’s refusal to release the prisoners was a manifestation of insincerity.

“It is alarming how President [Benigno] Aquino [III] treats previous agreements. The release of NDFP Consultants and other persons protected by JASIG must not be treated as a favor by the Aquino Administration, but instead an obligation as it is stated in the Joint Communique signed by both parties,” she said.

(With a report from Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao)