SEN. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito yesterday said the biggest challenge government will have to deal with in relation to holding peace negotiations with communist rebels is their apparent unwillingness to give up their “armed struggle.”
Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, also said the government should learn from past dealings dealing with the communist rebels, and should compel them to first surrender their arms before starting with peace talks. He said under the Anti-Terrorism Law, the “government should not be talking or negotiating with terrorists.”
The government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines late last month issued a joint statement saying they have agreed to hold peace negotiations. This came days after President Marcos Jr. issued amnesty proclamations covering rebel groups including the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).
The Duterte government in 2018 moved to designate the CPP and NPA as terrorist groups after peace negotiations with the communists failed. A Manila court rejected the move in September last year, and the Department of Justice said it was seeking an appeal.
Ejercito, at the “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” news briefing, said in Filipino, “The challenge here is if they are really willing to give up their armed struggle. I know that it is somehow hard because that is part of the New People’s Army, their armed component.”
“I think part of negotiations is for them to lay down their arms. We should enter into a peace negotiation as long as there is a commitment for them to already lay down their arms,” he also said.
Ejercito said the Marcos administration should follow actions taken by past governments when they entered into peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, wherein the two groups agreed to “demilitarize” their ranks arms before opening the peace talks.
He said laying down arms is a way of showing sincerity to achieve lasting peace.
“Sorry po, non-negotiable sa akin yung pag-give up ng armed struggle (I’m sorry but not giving up their armed struggle is non-negotiable for me),” Ejercito said.
Ejercito also said it is best if the government will deal only with the “major bloc” of the CPP, and not with the sub-groups, to ensure a successful peace negotiation.
He, however, cautioned the government as he noted the period of peace negotiations is often used by sub-groups to reorganize to strengthen their troops.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa said he supports the planned peace talks with the rebels as long as there is no declaration of ceasefire.
“Don’t give the CPP-NDF-NPA, which is now weak, the chance to recover,” he said in Filipino during a chance interview on the sidelines of the opening an arms show.
Dela Rosa said the government can talk with the rebels, but the latter are not in the position to demand anything.
‘OPPOSITION EXPECTED’
Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday night that debates and varying opinions about talking peace and granting amnesty to former rebels are expected and part of the process towards achieving peace and ending the armed struggle in the country, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Hr. said on Wednesday night.
Galvez made the statement at a forum following the opposition of Vice President Sara Duterte to the grant of amnesty, and the agreement to hold talks with the NDPF, the umbrella organization of communist groups in the country, which she called “an agreement with the devil.”
Galvez said they take Duterte’s opposition as something “positive” as it provides an insight to opinions of varying sectors.
“Nakita ko na may sense… we expect meron (I saw there is sense… we expect opposition), that there will be public debate and we welcome that. All objections and also those that we call insights that have the possibility to become challenges, we will take it as positive,” he said.
He said the end goal of both peace talks and amnesty grant is to end the armed struggle.
Duterte has urged the President to reconsider the amnesty grant, noting atrocities committed by the rebel group.
Galvez earlier said the amnesty grant is an integral part of the comprehensive peace process as confidence-building measures.
Galvez clarified that the amnesty does not provide a “blanket clearance” that clears all crimes committed by a returnee. He said those charged with civil liabilities for the crimes they committed must still answer for it.
“What amnesty does is that it extinguishes any and all criminal liability for the acts subject of the amnesty grant, as well as restores all civil and political rights suspended or lost by virtue of criminal conviction,” he added. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
