No amnesty for political prisoners until end of talks–Lorenzana

The government stood firm against granting amnesty to hundreds of political prisoners until “the last stage of negotiations” with the communist rebels, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.

During their recent trip to Brunei, Lorenzana said he and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza talked about the rebels’ request for “amnesty first before ceasefire.”

“I think he’s (Dureza) very firm in his stand that there will be no amnesty, before ceasefire,” the military official said during his confirmation hearing at the Senate.

“He fears that if we free all these more than 500 detainees now and then the peace talks collapse, then we have 500 probable adversaries later on,” he said.

Lorenzana pointed out that political prisoners, who had been freed earlier, were involved in the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the communists and those who are old and sick.

“I think we, in the Defense department and the armed forces, will also resist the move to free everybody before any ceasefire could be inked between the two panels, sir,” he said, responding to queries of Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon.

But Drilon pointed out that a ceasefire agreement would not involve surrendering of arms by the rebels.

“It’s just a ceasefire, does that mean that an amnesty will be proposed to Congress?” Drilon asked.

Quoting Dureza, the defense official said the “ceasefire amnesty” will be granted in the last stage of the peace process.

“When ceasefire amnesty is given, yung na po yung pinakahuli,” Lorenzana said.

Not satisfied by the answer, Drilon further explained that even if there is a ceasefire agreement, the peace talks would still continue until there is a general agreement between the two camps.

“The amnesty should come only after all the issues are settled and a general agreement would be signed. That would be what I prefer personally,” the senator said.

“Mr. Chairman that was what the Secretary of OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, also told me — that that (amnesty) will be the last stage already,” Lorenzana said.

Drilon said the defense official’s statement was “reassuring” as there had been “mixed signals” that amnesty would be proclaimed even before a ceasefire agreement is signed.

“I think the Secretary of OPAPP was already very clear and he said he is very determined that no amnesty will be given until the last stage of the negotiation,” Lorenzana said. CDG

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