Peace talks reopen Tuesday between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) aiming to end the four-decade-long insurgency that has killed not less than 120,000 combatants and civilians.
Since 2004 this is the first formal peace negotiations between two parties that come up with the cease-fire agreement during the week-long talk negotiation held outside Oslo.
After arriving in the snow-clad Norwegian capital on Monday rebel negotiator Luis Jalandoni said to the (–foul word(s) removed–)ociate Press “We are looking forward to the negotiations and expect positive results after the peace talk.”
Later, news echoed from the Philippine military informing that military forces had capture Allan Jazmines a senior communist leader at a rebel safe house in Baliuag, Bulacan. Army troops and police officers made the operation and capture Jazmines before nightfall Monday as military chief of staff General Ricardo David, Jr. served the warrant for murder and rebellion.
After hearing the news, there was no immediate reaction from the rebel leaders and government officials who attended the peace talk.
Peace talk was intended to start a series topic discussion on political reforms and economic issues to put an end the hostilities. The release of political prisoners will be one among the issues being discussed, said Jalandoni. The talk was mediated by Norwegian mediator Ture Lundh.
Government negotiator Chief Alexander Padilla refuses to comment on the talks on Monday but said “the negotiation can be completed within 18-months time and peace can be achieved in 3-years time if both parties are sincere and willing to pay the price” he said in most optimistic projection.
“Negotiations would be the best hope for halting insurgency that hinders the development of the country” said the NGO International Crisis Group based in Brussels.
“The rebels asked that three Communist Party negotiators will be allowed to participate in the negotiations, two were in Norway and the third would take part next time discussions” said Jalandoni.
The military said,” if one is among the rebels to be given temporary immunity by the government to participate the negotiation, but in the case of Jazmines he is facing a non-bialable offense.”
Ture Lundh the Norwegian mediator said he will meet every top representative of both parties before the appointed negotiations in a hotel in south Oslo.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has set guidelines and implemented on the week-long “Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO) against the New Peoples’ Army (NPA in support to the peace talk between the Philippine government and the NDF while civil-military operations (CMO) continue its operation in spite of the request from the communist group to stop its activities.
“The guidelines provided the SOMO covers only deliberate offensive military operations against the NPA but delimits defensive military actions aimed to secure and protect communities against violent attacks,” said Brigadier General Jose Mabanta Jr., AFP spokesman.
