VENUE. The Holiday Inn Rome Eur Parco Dei Medici in Rome, Italy will be the venue of the third round of the peace talks between the government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines from January 19 to 25, 2017. The GRP-NDF peace talks is facilitated by the Royal Norwegian Government. (Zea Io Ming C. Capistrano/davaotoday.com)
ROME, Italy —- The third round of the peace talks between the government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines is happening here today until January 25. The talks will open 10:00 am here (5:00 pm Philippine time).
The delegation from the GRP and the NDFP arrived at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Rome on Wednesday. Ten members of the House of Representatives are also joining the talks.
Top officials from the Philippine government arrived Tuesday.
Government chief negotiator and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (right) talking with members of the Philippine delegation inside the Holiday Inn Hotel in Rome, Italy on Wednesday afternoon. (Zea Io Ming C. Capistrano/davaotoday.com)
Government chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said they are expecting that both Parties will exchange draft on the social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms and end of hostilities and disposition of forces.
He said the government is all set to sign a supplemental agreement on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) which will include an expanded role of the a Joint Monitoring Committee.
For his part, NDFP chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili said they hope there will be a movement on the CASER and signing of the supplemental guidelines on the joint monitoring committee.
“Perhaps possibly an exchange on the tentative drafts on PCR,” he said.
Agcaoili added that they are willing to support Duterte’s push for federalism.
“Dun ang ini-expect namin na merong advances (We are expecting that there will be advances on those agenda),” he said.
At around 10:00 pm here on Wednesday night (5:00 am Thursday in Manila), both Parties met to agree on the agenda.
Prior to the formal opening, Gabriela Italy will present the women’s agenda to the women representing both panels at 9:30 am.
The formal program will start with opening statements from the Royal Norwegian Government representatives including Special Envoy Elisabet Slattum and Ambassador Erik Forner.
The statements from Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza and NDFP Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison will follow before a joint press conference.
The whole afternoon on Thursday will be spent for panel to panel meetings regarding releases of political prisoners, amnesty, and ceasefire.
Challenges
The government continues to push for the signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement and challenged the NDF to formalize their unilateral ceasefire with a bilateral ceasefire.
“We are challenging the NDF to formalize the unilateral ceasefire with a bilateral ceasefire agreement to give our communities and combatants a more secure environment for the peace process,” Bello said.
Meanwhile, Agcaoili said they will put on the table the issues of the government’s violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees.
“Merong nangyayaring violations ng JASIG, merong nangyayaring violations ng CARHRIHL, dapat sagutin nila yan,” he told reporters here Wednesday.
Agcaoili said there are 86 cases of violations due to militarization.
Dedicated to peace
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende said despite the challenges, both parties have shown willingness and dedication over the last six months.
“I am pleased that representatives of the Philippine Government and the communist movement NDFP are now meeting for a new round of talks. Despite challenges along the way, the parties have shown great willingness and dedication over the last six months to work for peace, after almost 50 years of conflict. One reflection of this is that the ceasefires that were announced in August have held until today,” said Brende.
The peace talks is facilitated by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Norway has been facilitating the peace process since 2001.
The peace talks resumed on August last year, breaking the five year impasse. The acceleration of the peace negotiations with the Communists came following the election of President Rodrigo Duterte who expressed that he will pursue peace negotiations between the rebels.
Meeting with Pope
The Philippines’ top officials went to the Vatican City to meet Pope Francis and hand over a letter from President Duterte.
In his Facebook post, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza told Pope “Bless the Philippines, Your Holiness.” And the Pope said that he will also bless the President.
Dureza said the Pope’s face “suddenly brightened up” after he told him that they are from the Philippines. (davaotoday.com)
