Government remains committed to peace talks with Reds

The government told foreign diplomats yesterday that it won’t abandon hopes for peace with communist guerrillas, despite an indefinite suspension of negotiations, and that it will respect the rights of rebel negotiators who now face arrest after losing their immunity.

Briefing Southeast Asian and European diplomats on the stalled talks, Philippine officials said Manila will continue to press for a resumption of peace negotiations to end the 35-year-old communist insurgency.

The guerrillas backed out of talks last month, saying they would rather wait for a successor to President Arroyo, who is facing an impeachment hearing over vote-rigging allegations and other charges.

The government responded by revoking immunity for 97 rebel negotiators and their staff, exposing those with pending criminal cases to possible arrest.

Some of those who have participated in the Norwegian-brokered talks are senior officers of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army.

"We will continue to pursue, with vigor and commitment, our peace agenda," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo told the foreign diplomats, including a representative from Norway.

"The Philippines assures the international community that the rights of all (rebels) who may be apprehended shall be fully protected under the law," he said.

Rebel negotiators, many of whom are in exile in the Netherlands, were given a one-month notice that suspension of immunity would take effect on Sept. 3.

Government negotiator Nieves Confesor said officials would continue to press the guerrillas to return to the negotiations.

"If they really don’t want to come and continue the peace negotiations with President Arroyo, then 30 days is enough so that they can hide," Confesor, a former labor secretary, said.

The guerrillas have accused the Philippine military and police of committing widespread human rights violations, including abduction and killing of left-wing activists. They said they feared government troops would now target rebel negotiators.

The guerrillas suspended talks in August 2004 to protest Manila’s refusal to ask the United States and European countries to remove them from terrorist lists. They ruled out talks with Arroyo last month, saying her scandal-plagued government was doomed.

The stalled talks and suspension of the rebel immunities reflect the growing enmity between Mrs. Arroyo and the guerrillas, who have vowed to intensify attacks to hasten her downfall. Their 35-year-old Marxist rebellion is one of the longest insurrections in Southeast Asia. — AP, Pia Lee-Brago