• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
While expressing its support for the restarted peace talks between government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines, NDF Negros urged the government to heed the long demanded release of three Negros-based consultants.
In a statement, NDF Negros spokesman Ka Bayani Obrerdo disclosed that of the 778 political prisoners in the country, 139, or 20 percent of them are in Negros Island, including NDFP peace consultants Ka Frank Fernandez, Ka Cleofe Lagtapon, and Ka Ramon Patriarca.
Fernandez used to be the secretary of Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, with his wife, Lagtapon, and Patriarca as his deputies.
Such actions must be expedited in pursuing and building the common notion for a society based on a just and lasting peace, Obrero said.
He also stressed the need to junk the Anti-Terrorism Law, and as well as the removal of the ‘terrorist’ designation of the CPP-NPA-NDFP.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, however, said that the government’s terror tag on the CPP-NPA-NDF and its allies will remain until a final peace settlement is reached between the two parties.
It cannot be easily granted. It has to go through a process, so our stand there is that they must be willing to abandon the armed struggle, Año said.
“If that is their mindset and they are sincere about it, we can proceed with the negotiation, that will come into place and then. It’s like a one-time grant of an amnesty, once there is a final peace settlement, all of these would be granted,” Año said in a phone interview.
Año’s remarks came in response to the NDF’s demand for the removal of its terrorist tag by the government’s Anti-Terrorism Council back in June 2021.
On the other hand, Obrero also described the Oslo Joint Statement as a genuinely positive stride to address the roots of armed conflict.
While the peace process still has a long and arduous road ahead, mutual efforts will shed light on issues that adversely affect Negrosanons and the entire Filipino people, he added.
Building peace requires a conscious effort away from state terrorism, Obrero added.
The Philippine government and the CPP NPA NDF have agreed to a principled and peaceful resolution to the armed conflict and end the armed struggle.
“Resolving the roots of the armed conflict and ending the armed struggle shall pave the way for the transformation of the CPP-NPA-NDFP,” said the Joint Statement, which was signed in Oslo, Norway.
While calling on revolutionary mass organizations and various individuals, organizations, and institutions, to support the call for the resumption of the GRP-NDFP peace talks, Obrero also stressed the need for vigilance of the renewed peace building efforts.*
