Back in PH, Tiamzons see success of next round of talks

NDF consultants Benito and Wilma Tiamzon (second and third from left) talk to media after arriving from successful initial talks with government negotiators in Oslo, Norway. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Two National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants came home to the Philippines from Oslo, Norway, on Saturday and expressed optimism that the peace talks with the Philippine government would succeed.

Speaking at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Saturday evening, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon said they hoped President Rodrigo Duterte would fulfill his promise to release all political prisoners through an amnesty.

“Dahil maganda ang simula, malaki ang aming pag-asa na magiging matagumpay ang susunod na round ng pag-uusap ng dalawang panel na nakatakda sa Oktubre 8-12, 2016 sa Oslo, Norway,” they said in a joint statement released to media on Sunday.

(Because the start was good, we have high hopes for the next round of talks of the two panels on October 8 to 12, 2016 in Oslo, Norway.)

The NDF is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging the longest-running communist insurgency in Asia.

The Tiamzons said the next round would be crucial because it would tackle the proposed proclamation on giving amnesty to political prisoners and the mode of joint bilateral ceasefire of the two camps.

They said the release of prisoners would help guarantee that the peace process would advance towards their ultimate goal of agreeing to basic reforms needed to achieve just and lasting peace.

The couple said they were honored and happy, as recently released consultants, to participate in the historic event.

Before concluding the first round of talks in Norway, the panels signed a joint statement on several issues, namely:

• to re-affirm previous agreements
• to reconstitute the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG)
• to set a timeline for accelerated negotiations on basic reforms on society, economy and politics and the cessation of hostilities
• to recommend to President Duterte an amnesty proclamation to release all political prisoners under NDF
• and to consolidate the two unilateral ceasefire into one bilateral ceasefire.

READ: PH gov’t, NDF sign joint statement; end of talks eyed in 1 year 

CPP founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison earlier told INQUIRER.net that there was a possibility that the peace talks could be resolved within a year.

However, the Tiamzons warned that there were forces within the government that were against the peace negotiations and meaningful reforms for peace.

“We should not be complacent with the initial victories,” they said in Filipino, adding that people who support the peace process should campaign for it and aim for wider support and participation of the public./rga

RELATED VIDEO