The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) return to formal talks on August 22 in Oslo, Norway. The full delegation of both parties, clad in Filipiniana, met once again at the opening ceremonies held at the Nobel Hall of the Scandic Holmenkollen Park Hotel since formal talks halted in 2011.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, in welcoming both parties, reiterated the commitment of the Royal Norwegian Government to the peace negotiations.
“I am a little bit surprised because this morning, the fact that we are in Filipiniana dress and barong shows that we are one, undivided country,” said Dureza.
GPH Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Jesus Dureza expressed elation in the Filipino delegation’s morning attire.
“If we look at where we are today, there is a new element in what we are doing and it is the Duterte presidency. We had witness how he had taken bold steps, the unprecedented, historic release of our detainees in order to make them available for our negotiations. Even the record time facilitation of foreign travel that is not even available to ordinary Filipinos just to make available the personalities needed in the negotiations table,” Dureza said.
Dureza referred to the releases of NDFP consultants protected by the JASIG. Formal talks were set in July but moved to August in order to give the GPH time to effect the releases of the jailed NDFP consultants and almost 500 political prisoners. The first 17 consultants and NDFP JASIG protected persons have been released on bail, also through efforts of the political prisoners lawyers and paralegals. Two more were released on humanitarian grounds.
“The peace road is not always rosy. There are humps and bumps along the way, it’s not a concrete or paved road, but let’s all stay the course. We may never have the opportunity in our own lifetime to make this through,” Dureza ended his speech.
Jose Maria Sison, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Founding Chairman and NDFP
Chief Political Consultant, said that “the CPP, [New People’s Army] NPA and NDFP are ever willing to cooperate with the Duterte government in pursuing the just cause of national and social liberation against foreign and feudal domination.”
Sison also heaped praises on Duterte.
He said the president showed “magnanimity and generosity” in promising the amnesty and release of political prisoners and offering cabinet posts to the CPP and agreeing to give the posts to highly-qualified progressives. He also said the president could understand and appreciate the principles and program of the national democratic movement for having cooperated with Bagong Alyansang Makabayan running up to his presidency and Partido ng Bayan in the 1980s.
“It is to express goodwill, show rapport and indicate that the two negotiating panels have a good basis for making the current formal talks successful and for bringing the entire process to a successful conclusion,” Sison said of praising Duterte.
He also said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s expressed socialist aspirations can be accomplished only if preceded by reforms that involve the assertion of national sovereignty, abrogation of unequal treaties, economic development through national industrialization and land reform and free public education among others. These reforms shall be part of the current substantive agenda to be taken up in the negotiations.
In conclusion to his remarks, Sison also acknowledged the current GPH peace panel as “patriotic and capable persons who have played significant roles in the past in forging agreements with the NDFP and have participated in the people’s struggle for national independence and democracy.”
The GPH peace panel are composed of veterans in the peace process, particularly at the times of many signed agreements, and also of former national democratic activists.
In his opening statement, NDFP Negotiating Panel Chair Luis Jalandoni introduced the NDFP peace panel and reiterated the agenda of this round of talks as agreed in the Joint Statement signed on June 15, 2016 as part of the preliminary talks between the GPH an NDFP.
The Joint Statement contained the reaffirmation of previous peace agreements, reconstitution of the list of personnel covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, acceleration of peace talks on social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, and end of hostilities and disposition of forces, Amnesty Declaration for the release of all detained political prisoners; and the mode of interim ceasefire.
Jalandoni also said that whatever mode of ceasefire, it “should promote the advance of substantive negotiations and agreements and not deter or delay the peace process.”
In the afternoon, representatives of both parties met to discuss and approve the agenda of the five-day formal talks.
