2014 a good year for peace in PH, but Deles wary of Reds

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said 2014 was a “good year for peace” for the country, even as she viewed the prospect of resuming peace talks with the communist rebels with caution.

“Our experience in the past three decades of negotiations with the communist insurgents, which had been marked by contentious preconditions and prolonged impasses, has understandably made us cautious about resuming talks that may again only disappoint our people earnestly longing for an end to violent conflict,” Deles said in her New Year’s Day message.

Skeptical public

“Professions of sincerity are no longer acceptable to a skeptical public. We can resolve this conflict only by building mutual trust and understanding, and standing firm on our commitment to deliver a just and durable peace to the Filipino people without preconditions and with utmost consideration for the welfare of those we profess to serve and defend,” she said.

In an earlier statement, Deles challenged the communist rebels to end the “pointless violence” that violated a month-long unilateral ceasefire in observance of Christmas and the coming visit of Pope Francis. The communist New People’s Army (NPA) enforced a staggered ceasefire.

In her message on Wednesday, Deles said the “strong overtures from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front to resume the peace talks with the government… are most welcome.”

Call to end violence

But while the “government has always been open to resuming its seat at the peace table,” Deles said that for the negotiations to “prosper,” both parties must pursue “an agenda that is doable and time-bound, with agreements that are realizable within the remaining term of President Aquino.”

“More importantly, the peace talks must heed our people’s call for an end to violence,” she said.

“We view the peace negotiations as the beginning of a sincere dialogue toward resolving the problems of the country without resorting to the use of arms. It is about turning swords into plowshares, bullets into political power, as spaces are created for both sides to work with together in peace to develop our country, address the new challenges battering the globe and uplift the lives of our people,” Deles said.

Deles was also glad the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) made significant progress last year.

The MILF and the government are awaiting the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law which Congress is reviewing.

Deles said the government and the MNLF “endeavor to complete the Tripartite Implementation Review of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement.”

“We welcome the coming together of the MNLF and MILF under the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum, a mechanism facilitated by the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, to harmonize the efforts of the two fronts in achieving the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people toward just and lasting peace,” she said.

Positive strides

The other peace talks had been making “positive strides” as well.

Deles said that three years after its signing, the implementation of the memorandum of agreement between the government and the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army had entered its final phase.

She said the group was now a “legitimate SEC-registered unarmed socioeconomic organization called the Cordillera Forum for Peace and Development.”

“In the Visayas, the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade-Tabara Paduano Group—a splinter group of the armed wing of the communist rebel

—had completed drafting its closure agreement with the government that is undergoing due diligence for signing in early 2015,” Deles said.

“Similar to the transformation of the CFPD, the RPM group through the party-list Abang Lingkod, has chosen to take the road to peace by pursuing political and social change without the use of arms,” she added.