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Talks with Reds to resume in August, Dureza says

Philstar.com

July 19, 2016 | 10:35pm

MANILA, Philippines — The stalled peace talks with communists would resume next month with negotiators expected to discuss the release of political prisoners and a possible ceasefire, a Cabinet official said Tuesday.

Presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza said negotiations with the communist rebels would be held from Aug. 20 to 27 in Oslo, Norway. The Norwegian government serves as the third-party facilitator of the talks.

“This is a milestone because, as you know, the peace talks had broken down for about four years. It has never moved. And, so we are now on the verge of (a) milestone which is a resumption of the formal negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDFP (Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front of the Philippines).

The NDFP is the political arm of the CPP while the NPA is its armed wing.

The formal negotiations were supposed to resume this month, as agreed upon by the NDFP and President Rodrigo Duterte’s designated officials during their exploratory talks in Oslo, Norway last June.

“The reality is there is (a) need to release the requested participants in the negotiations and the period is a little bit short to see that happen. (To make it realistic), we moved it to Aug. 20,” Dureza said.

Among the issues to be tackled is the activation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), a 1995 deal that bars the arrest and detention of rebels working as peace consultants.

“We will be affirming all previously signed agreements which is a matter of course. And we will discuss, of course, the matter about (the) release of prisoners,” Dureza said.

The implementation of JASIG is one of the sticky issues of the talks. In 2013, negotiations between the government and the NDFP collapsed after the communists demanded the release of their companions whom they claimed are covered by JASIG.

Government negotiators then opposed the demand, saying there was no way to validate the identities of the alleged peace consultants.

Dureza said the agenda would also include a possible truce between the military and the NPA.

“Even before we discuss the mechanics of a bilaterally agreed ceasefire, there might be a possibility of a unilateral ceasefire from both sides. We don’t know yet. That’s still being worked out,” the peace adviser said.

Duterte has also instructed government agencies to start working on a possible temporary release of communist rebels who would participate in the talks. The resumption of the talks will be preceded by the release of 11 detained communist leaders who will play key roles in the negotiations.

“President Duterte directed that legal procedures be complied with to effect their temporary releases pursuant to the previously signed Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees,” Dureza said.

“It has to be with approval of the courts…You have to go through usual process. They have to face charges later on. It will depend on the outcome of the negotiations,“ he added.