The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) announced on October 5, a day before the second round of formal talks with the Government of the Philippines (GRP) begin, that they “have granted the long-standing request of Comrade Luis G. Jalandoni to resign as the Chairperson of the NDFP Negotiating Panel.”
Luis Jalandoni, or known to his comrades and the people as Ka Louie, served as NDFP peace panel chair for more than 20 years. He would stay on as NDFP Senior Adviser for the peace negotiations.
The NDFP has appointed Fidel V. Agcaoili as the new Chairperson of the NDFP Negotiating Panel. Agcaoili has been serving as the Vice-Chairperson of the NDFP Negotiating Panel. He is also concurrently the Joint Monitoring Committee chair for the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
“The national leadership of the NDFP is grateful for the valuable service that Comrade Jalandoni has given to the peace negotiations,” said the NDFP statement.
“The very amiable and unpretentious Ka Louie is pushing 82 and he wants to yield and pass on the baton to younger, competent ones who will step up. He has been requesting to sidestep and to give the honor and opportunity to his other comrades since 11 years ago when he turned 70,” said NDFP Legal Consultant Edre Olalia.
Olalia said he was informed that Jalandoni’s request to “resign” has been outstanding since the latter turned 70, then 75, and then 80.
“He was asked to stay on for continuity especially during the turbulent and rather shifty years during the previous GRP administrations. But since the formal talks have been resumed and has taken a relatively more definite and stable mooring, then perhaps it is timely that this round where the parties would buckle down to the nitty-gritty is a good time as any for the changing of the guards,” shared Olalia.
“Louie Jalandoni masterfully chaired the NDFP Negotiating Panel in peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the. Philippines (GRP) since 1994. Earlier, in 1992, Ka Louie represented the NDFP in discrete exploratory talks with the GRP represented by Cong. Jose “Apeng” Yap, emissary of then Pres. Fidel V. Ramos. Their talks resulted in the 1992 The Haigue Joint Declaration which laid the framework and foundation for the current peace negotiations,” posted NDFP political consultant Rey Casambre on his Facebook timeline.
“[Jalandoni] is actually being upgraded as an eminent senior adviser and he will be still be closed and deeply involved in the negotiations with his wisdom, experience fortitude, patience, humility and commitment…So, with his eidetic memory, he will still be around and active as a trusted leader and faithful part of their team but on a less tedious task and taxing pace,” said Olalia.
“But now he will certainly have more quality time and bonding with his 2 bubbly and precocious grandsons, not to mention more cooking, dishwashing, reading and writing while his partner in life and struggle Coni remains on the negotiating table,” concluded Olalia.
Benito Tiamzon, NDFP Peace Consultant, was also appointed to the negotiating panel. The NDFP negotiating panel would now be composed of Fidel Agcaoili, Julieta de Lima-Sison, Coni Ledesma, Asterio Palima and Benito Tiamzon, with Jose Maria Sison and Luis Jalandoni as de officio members of the panel.
Each of the two parties may appoint who and as many as they wish on top of the five members of each negotiating panel. It is their unilateral prerogative.
