The New People’s Army marching during the 47th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Paquibato District, Davao City. (davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—The Communist Party of the Philippines on Sunday manifested its eagerness to proceed and craft the bilateral ceasefire agreement with the government if Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte would send the government’s peace panel on February 22 to 27 in The Netherlands.
To ensure the success of the bilateral ceasefire negotiations, CPP said that the government could “help facilitate the travel of the NDFP’s ceasefire committee member and consultants.”
The CPP and its armed-wing, the New People’s Army, reiterated their support to all efforts in order to forge a bilateral ceasefire agreement.
“The revolutionary forces are encouraged by the previous statements of GRP President Duterte that all political prisoners will be released within 48 hours once the bilateral ceasefire agreement is signed,” the CPP said in a statement Sunday.
While it perceives the bilateral ceasefire negotiations as essential to peace process, the CPP admitted that “the terms of reference of a bilateral ceasefire agreement will be most difficult.”
“The revolutionary forces are bound by principle to assert the withdrawal of the AFP’s operating troops from areas under the sway of the revolutionary government. However difficult, the revolutionary forces are willing to work with the GRP negotiators to hammer out a bilateral ceasefire agreement that will be mutually acceptable and enforceable,” the communist group pointed out.
It can be recalled that the government’s peace panels had submitted already to the National Democratic Forces of the Philippines its draft “Agreement on an Interim Bilateral Cessation of Hostilities between the GRP and the NDFP” during the third round of peace talks held in Rome last month.
For its part, the NDFP said it would “seriously” review “the proposal and submit comments and may provide its own updated version of its proposed draft agreement for an interim bilateral ceasefire.”
The slated talks in The Netherlands next month will also include the simultaneous to the opening of the bank safety deposit box account for safekeeping of the JASIG documents of identification
On the other hand, as a gesture of good will, the CPP has directed all concerned NPA units to expedite the release of the six prisoners of war captured over the past weeks, namely: PFC Edwin Salan, Sgt. Solaiman Calucop, Pfc Samuel Garay, PO2 Jerome Natividad, Rene Doller, and Carl Mark.
“The NPA commands in charge of the custodial units can work closely with third party facilitators. The AFP can cooperate by withdrawing all troops in and around the area where the POWs will be released to pave the way for their safe and orderly release,” the CPP said.
The CPP added, “assuming the cooperation of local AFP commands, all POWs can return to their families before or during the scheduled negotiations in The Netherlands.”(davaotoday.com)
