Oplan Bayanihan not related to peace talks issue - AFP

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called on the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) not to tie its Oplan Bayanihan campaign to the peace talks issue, as it took exception to the communists’ claim that the new military anti-insurgency approach is out to scuttle the peace negotiations.

Oplan Bayanihan is the embodiment of the Internal Peace and Security Program (IPSP), a new military approach ordered crafted by President Aquino to win the decades-old insurgency through sustained peace and developmental initiatives by the military instead of the use of guns.

In a statement released by its media bureau, the CPP described Oplan Bayanihan as a continuing all-out war being waged by the military to scuttle the peace talks.

The CPP declaration was in response to an earlier pronouncement made by government chief peace negotiator Alex Padilla that he will resign his position if a peace agreement is not reached in three years.

“That (Padilla’s statement) is detrimental to the peace negotiations, subject to sabotage operations by militarist forces who are determined to scuttle the talks in order to justify the continuing all-out war being waged under the military’s Oplan Bayanihan,” the CPP said.

“Instead of issuing statements that unduly cause stress to the peace negotiations, Padilla should concentrate on seeking solutions to the outstanding issues at the core of the civil war: land reform and national sovereignty, massive unemployment, widespread poverty and hunger,” added the CPP.

Maj. Eugene Julio Osias IV, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division and commander of the 4th Civil Military Operations (CMO) battalion, said the conduct of Oplan Bayanihan is out of the CPP’s concern, saying the new military peace and development strategy is taking its toll on the communist movement.

Through the IPSP’s Oplan Bayanihan, Osias stressed that the government has become more effective in delivering services to communities.

This development, according to Osias, had pushed the CPP-New People’s Army (NPA) to the sidelines, rendering their presence, most especially in far-flung areas, inconsequential to the people.

“The statement of the CPP on IPSP sabotaging the peace talks is out of their concern because they are now losing ground and support from the people. Our peace and developmental initiatives are now hurting the communist movement,” Osias said.

No children combatants

Meanwhile, the United Nations envoy for children and armed conflict and the National Democratic Front (NDF) have agreed to develop an action plan to ensure that no children are among the ranks of the NPA or are involved in the armed conflict.

The action plan will be finalized in high-level talks between the Office of the Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, and the NDF.

“It is the first time that we have been able to reach out to the NDF and I am hopeful that we will be able to sign an action plan as soon as possible,” said Coomaraswamy at the end of her five-day visit to the Philippines on Friday.

The NPA, together with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayyaf Group, are listed in the Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict for using and recruiting girls and boys.

Before Coomaraswamy’s meeting with the NDF, the Philippine government gave its full consent to the UN efforts to initiate dialogue with the group.

During her trip to Mindanao, Coomaraswamy met with the MILF leadership and agreed that the ongoing process of registration of children associated with the armed group will be completed in nine months.

She said she was pleased to learn that since the signing of the action plan, the MILF has made strides in implementing the plan and taken action to build awareness of the agreement within their ranks and communities.

Coomaraswamy urged the MILF leadership to enforce compliance with the action plan and suggested that accountability measures as well as complaints procedures be put in place.

To date, around 600 children have been registered by trained community members with the support of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and now the focus is on ensuring that these children have access to basic services such as education, health and community programs to prevent recruitment.

“In Mindanao, where girls and boys are born into communities where armed elements are a constant feature, we have to get the entire village working on the successful protection of children,” she added.

Coomaraswamy also met with the Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, as well as senior commanders of the AFP and expressed concern with regard to continued reports of children associated with paramilitary units.

She said the UN will provide technical assistance to the armed forces’ human rights units, including to the human rights focal point. The Special Representative also raised the issue of occupations of schools in some districts.

Coomaraswamy and UNICEF Representative in Philippines Vanessa Tobin were encouraged by the proposed law for the protection of children affected by armed conflict that is being debated by members of the House of Representatives.

“This is an important bill, not just to protect girls and boys, but to ensure accountability of those violating the rights of children. UNICEF, and the partners who developed the bill, urge legislators to prioritize this landmark legislation which could be a model for other countries,” Tobin said.

The Special Representative said the UN and its partners in the field are encouraged by the recent initiatives with regard to the peace process in the Philippines. – Rhodina Villanueva, Pia Lee-Brago