The government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) will strive to achieve the bilateral ceasefire agreement with the National Democratic Front (NDF) on its third round of formal peace negotiations on January 19 to 25 in Rome, Italy.
GRP peace panel chairperson Silvestre Bello III told reporters during the ASEAN 2017 Chairmanship in Davao City that the government panel was hoping to settle with the NDF the guidelines for the acts to be considered as “hostile and violative of the ceasefire.”
“The problem with unilateral ceasefire is that it lacks the definition of terms; you do not know what constitutes the hostile act and what constitutes the violation of the ceasefire,” Bello explained.
He added that there is a guideline or definition of terms under the bilateral agreement to determine what hostile acts would be considered as a violation.
Both GRP and NDF would also be discussing the Comprehensive Agreement on Socioeconomic Reforms (CASER) in the third round of talks.
However, Bello pointed out that they are not rushing on the signing of CASER since it is considered as the “most contentious” part among the agreements that will be signed by the both parties.
CASER, being considered as the “heart and soul” of the peace negotiations, contains the most important issues that must be tackled under the process such as agrarian reform, national industrialization, and foreign policy.
However, Bello in a press release published by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) expressed his optimism that significant breakthroughs will take place next week.
“We are prepared to sign side and other agreements while we are discussing contents and provisions of the primary substantive agenda,” Bello stated.
Bello added that draft documents were submitted on Monday, Jan. 16 to President Rodrigo Duterte and the government panel will be heading to Rome on Jan. 17.
He stated that the GRP panel is ready to sign side and other agreements while discussing contents and provisions of the substantive agenda.
Among the draft documents that Bello mentioned are the CASER, comprehensive agreement on political and constitutional reforms (CAPCR), and agreement on the end of hostilities and disposition of forces (EOHDOF).
“We are ready to engage the NDF in discussing all substantive agendas including supplemental agreements needed to proceed and arrive at a peaceful negotiated political settlement to end the armed conflict in the Philippines,” Bello mentioned, adding that the GRP panel its best to achieve reconciliation and lasting peace.
He added that government is also ready to sign the supplemental agreement on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) that would be included in the expanded role of the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).
“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.
