Negros Occ. mayors support peace moves of rebel faction

BACOLOD City—The mayors in Negros Occidental are endorsing the peace initiative of the national government and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB).

They passed a resolution, through the Negros Association of Chief Executives and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Occidental Chapter, supporting the moves to “forge peace and jointly restore stability and normalcy to the country.”

Based on the resolution passed on Friday, the ongoing peace process between the government and the RPA-ABB was considered a breakthrough in the campaign for normalcy and stability of the province.

The resolution was passed amid criticism on the government’s move to release P31 million for housing and livelihood of families of the RPMP-RPA-ABB.

The opposition mainly came from the breakaway faction of the RPMP who claimed that amount would not bring peace in Negros and Panay islands where the bulk of the forces was based.

The RPMP-RPA-ABB broke away from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and New People’s Army (NPA) in the 1990s over ideological differences.

They forged an interim peace agreement with the government in December 2000 during the term of former president Joseph Estrada.

But Estrada was ousted in 2001. Six years later, the RPMP-RPA-ABB split in two factions. One faction was led by Arturo Tabara and RPA-ABB national commander Stephen Paduano and the other by Nilo de la Cruz.

Both factions have claimed numerical superiority over the other and have traded accusations of organizational violations and corruption.

President Aquino, however, ordered the fast-tracking of the government’s commitments to the interim peace agreement to ensure its final resolution.

The government allotted P31 million for projects on Negros Island, a move criticized by the Dela Cruz faction.

Undersecretary Luisito Montalbo said on Thursday that the P31 million would come from the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) fund for 2011 and was  part of the government’s commitment to release P500 million for development projects for families and beneficiaries of the RPMP-RPA-ABB as provided in the 2000 peace agreement.

He added the government was also working on forging final peace agreements separately with the two factions.

But Rustico Cutanda, a Panay-based leader of the group identified with Dela Cruz, protested the release of the amount, saying the amount was intended as a “surrender-closure package” for the faction led by Veronica Tabara, RPMP head and member of the group’s negotiating panel.

He said the government should instead focus on the political and economic reforms stipulated in the December 2000 interim peace agreement between the government and the RPMP-RPA-ABB.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno Negros said the P31 million was a waste of time and would not bring peace in Negros.

“The granting of the fund will not end the armed conflict in Negros because the RPA-ABB has already surrendered its arms and has become a private army for landlords and a militia group of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in their counter-insurgency operations,” said Ronald Ian Evidente, KMU Negros spokesperson, said in a press statement.

The KMU called on Aquino not to release the funds and revoke the interim agreement.