Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File
OSLO – Granting amnesty to the remaining political prisoners is now in the hands of President Duterte, according to a member of the government panel talking peace with the communist movement.
Government negotiator Angela Librado-Trinidad disclosed that the draft amnesty proclamation was submitted to the Office of the President last September 27 just days before the second round of talks started.
“We have in our possession a stamped receipt of our endorsement letter together with the draft proclamation. It was received by the Office of the Executive Secretary,” Librado-Trinidad said in a statement.
The draft amnesty proclamation covers 434 political prisoners, based on a list submitted of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), last September 15.
Eighty-one of the political prisoners, including women and elderly, were also considered for immediate release based on humanitarian considerations.
The Philippine government peace panel and that of the NDFP signed drafts on the amnesty and release of political prisoners on Sunday (Oct. 9), in Oslo, Norway.
Labor Secretary and government panel chief Silvestre ‘Bebot’ Bello III said that the release of the political prisoners would be just “a matter of time.”
“I see no reason why we cannot do it the way we are accelerating the peace process,” Bello said.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza shared that the government has been on the same page with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines regarding their concerns on the release of political prisoners.
He, however, explained that government processes must be considered before the declaration of amnesty.
For Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison, there will be no bilateral ceasefire between the government and communist guerrillas unless all of the remaining political prisoners are released.
Sison said he was happy over the release of at least 21 detained consultants of the NDF under the coverage of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), but lamented that no releases followed after the first round of the talks.
The releases happened just in time for the resumption of the formal talks in Norway last August.
Speaking at the sidelines of the second round of talks earlier, Sison said the NDF would work on the draft of the bilateral ceasefire agreement but it would not be signed unless the releases would materialize. “The negotiations will continue but will be short of signing if there is no amnesty,” Sison said. (The signing of the drafts on the release of political prisoners and amnesty by the Philippine government and NDFP negotiators in Oslo on Sunday, Oct. 9, signalled that the rebels would be released soon.)
In this Oct, 9, 2016, file photo, the Philippine government represented by peace adviser Jesus Dureza (right), and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, represented by its chief consultant, Jose Maria Sison (left) shake hands to close the second round of talks with them agreeing on the amnesty and releases of political prisoners and the outline and framework on socio-economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms and the end of hostiles and disposition of forces. KARLOS MANLUPIG, INQUIRER MINDANAO
Both parties issued unilateral ceasefire declarations in August with an agreement that the prospect for October is a bilateral ceasefire to ensure a more stable suspension of hostilities.
The amnesty was floated during the first meeting between the NDF and President Rodrigo Duterte a few days after he won the elections.
“The amnesty and release of all political prisoners is a good incentive for the singing of a joint and bilateral ceasefire agreement,” Sison said.
Meanwhile, Librado-Trinidad said the government has been reconstituting the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognizance, and Pardon (PCBREP), which was already signed by the the Secretaries of the Department of Justice, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Department of National Defense, as part of the compliance of the government to facilitate the release of political prisoners.
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 (DOJ, DILG, DND) and is on its way to the office of the President for review and signing,” Librado-Trinidad further disclosed. SFM
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