House supermajority backs Marcos on peace talks

MANILA, Philippines — Allies of President Marcos comprising the so-called supermajority in the House of Representatives have rallied behind his initiative to end the decades-long communist insurgency through fresh peace negotiations.

In a joint manifesto, leaders of the power blocs said they have formed a “united front” to support Marcos’ “all-encompassing peace initiative.”

The manifesto was issued as Vice President Sara Duterte appealed to Marcos to “reconsider” the resumption of the peace talks, describing it as an “agreement with the devil.”

“As the united voice of the House of Representatives, representing all political parties, we collectively express our unwavering support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s initiative for peace and national unity,” the joint statement read.

The coalition represents 280 members of the 311-strong chamber led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco released the manifesto yesterday.

Party stalwarts said Marcos’ pursuit of peace is “a historic move” that marks a “pivotal moment in our nation’s journey towards lasting peace and sustainable development.”

“President Marcos’ call for peace transcends political boundaries and speaks to the core of our shared values as Filipinos. It is a call for understanding, cooperation and collective action towards a future where every citizen can live in harmony and prosperity,” the House leaders said.

Among the power blocs backing Marcos’ peace initiative were the ruling Lakas-CMD led by Romualdez, the Nationalist People’s Coalition of the late tycoon Danding Cojuangco and the PDP-Laban party of former president Duterte, the Nacionalista Party led by former Senate president Manny Villar, the National Unity Party, the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc., Partido Navoteño, among others.

The Speaker earlier led in the filing of House Concurrent Resolutions 19, 20, 21 and 22 supporting the amnesty proclamations of President Marcos. The House committees on justice and on national defense approved the resolutions yesterday. Amnesty Proclamations 403, 404, 405 and 406 cover members of communist groups and Moro separatists.

“The timely adoption of these concurrent resolutions is attuned with the spirit of hope, peace and joy that the Christmas season brings,” Romualdez said.

“The grant of amnesty to former combatants or rebels who may have committed unlawful acts in furtherance of their respective political beliefs and who wish to return to the folds of the law, will create a climate conducive for peace and reconciliation, pave the way for them to reintegrate into the society and provide them access to the government’s socio-economic services,” the resolutions read.

“There is a need for the government to act on rebel and insurgent returnees’ request for the grant of amnesty so that they may live in peace in the pursuit of productive endeavors without prejudice to any legal arrangement that may result from a negotiated settlement which the government is pursuing with the various rebel and insurgent groups,” they added.

Resolution flagged

Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of women’s group Gabriela, however, flagged House Concurrent Resolution 20 granting amnesty to the “former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF or their front organizations.”

Brosas said that by conflating those unarmed and armed individuals charged with various offenses, the amnesty proclamations appear to have restored the repealed RA 1700 (Anti-Subversion Act), which penalizes membership in organizations deemed subversive.

“These proclamations do not distinguish those who took up arms from unarmed citizens. There is also a mention of front organizations which are always being used to tag people’s organizations, NGOs, civil society organizations as communists and harass them and endanger the lives of the activists,” she said.

“In this case, this could result in an increase in human rights violations,” Brosas added.

Leila to VP: Quit DepEd

For voicing her opposition to Marcos’ initiative to talk peace with rebels, Vice President Duterte should resign as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, according to former senator Leila de Lima.

In her post on X, De Lima said no one was preventing Duterte from criticizing the present administration but she should remember that she is still a member of the Cabinet.

“Peace talks is not within the core competence of her portfolio as DepEd Sec. She should resign as DepEd Sec if she keeps on publicly opposing BBM’s Cabinet policy decisions that have nothing to do with DepEd,” she said.

“She cannot eat cake and keep it too. She can only go on criticizing BBM’s policies if she is no longer a member of Cabinet and speaks only as VP,” she stressed.

Duterte on Monday released a video statement opposing the new peace efforts, as she appealed to Marcos to review his policies and called the Oslo communique an “agreement with the devil.”

Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, on the other hand, held a press briefing yesterday to express his support for Duterte, saying the communists cannot be trusted. Dela Rosa was national police chief under the Duterte administration.

“They are not sincere when it comes to the peace talks,” Dela Rosa said, citing setbacks suffered by the communist movement since the death of Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison.

“You are leaderless. Who are you to make demands?” Dela Rosa said, addressing the communist movement.

Asked if the disagreement between Duterte and President Marcos on the peace talks indicated cracks in their alliance, Dela Rosa said it was only normal for the Vice President to oppose the peace talks because of her first-hand experience in dealing with the communist insurgency when she was mayor in Davao.

“I am in favor of peace talks provided there is no ceasefire, which they will only use to strengthen their forces,” Dela Rosa said.

Some soldiers agree with VP – Brawner

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. has admitted that some soldiers agree with Duterte’s apprehensions over the Marcos administration’s possible peace negotiations with communists.

“First of all, I cannot blame the Vice President for saying this. In fact, this opinion is shared by so many in our country, even soldiers,” he told CNN Philippines in an interview.

He said the rebels took advantage of previous peace negotiations to consolidate and strengthen their position.

“But right now, we believe the statement is really moving towards lasting peace. I believe that this could lead to lasting peace,” he said, referring to the joint statement of the Marcos administration and the National Democratic Front signed last month in Oslo, Norway.

“First of all, they said there will be no pre-conditions, there will be no ceasefire, there will be no release of political prisoners, so only exploratory talks,” Brawner said. “So I told our troops, our operations continue. Don’t be alarmed by this exploratory talks.”

He also said Sison’s death was a big blow to the rebel group.

Brawner allayed fears that differences in opinion among the ranks may cause discord.

Meanwhile, militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said Duterte has proven herself to be the real enemy of the country for trying to sabotage the government’s peace talks with rebels.

“Now it can be said that VP Duterte is the one who’s against peace, thus an enemy of the nation,” Pamalakaya vice chairman Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president Renato Reyes said the government should be commended for supporting peace negotiations.

“Talking peace is always better than relying on a militarist approach to end the armed struggle,” he said. — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Michael Punongbayan, Emmanuel Tupas, Mayen Jaymalin