Palace: Still no venue for peace talks with NDF

No venue has yet been set for the planned peace talks between the government and communist rebels.

Acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who is also presidential adviser on the peace process, told reporters yesterday the National De-mocratic Front (NDF) cannot dictate to the government where to hold the negotiations.

"And this is the reason why we are insisting that if we conduct these peace talks with them (NDF), they must come here to the Philippines only to show that our discussions are matters and problems that are here in the Phi-lippines," Ermita said.

Jose Ma. Sison, Communist Party of the Philippines founder, and Luis Jalandoni, chief rebel negotiator, have insisted that peace negotiations be held in Brussels, Belgium.

However, Renato Corona, President Arroyo’s chief of staff, told reporters yesterday some officials have proposed that the talks be held in Hong Kong.

"Of course, we would like it (peace talks) to be held here to minimize government expenses," he said.

Corona said the Cabinet had not reached a decision on the venue, but agreed that holding it in the Netherlands, where most of the rebel leaders live in exile, would be too expensive.

"Cabinet Cluster E met yesterday to discuss whether the venue (for the peace talks) be outside the country," he said. "Maybe in Hong Kong… not necessarily in the Netherlands."

Corona said the Arroyo administration is also taking into consideration the budget deficit in deciding whether to hold the negotiations abroad.

On Sison’s threat that the NDF would boycott the peace talks if the government insisted on holding them in the country, Corona said: "I think it’s the usual saber rattling before the start of any negotiations. We should not take it very seriously."

Ermita told reporters yesterday chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III did not make any official commitment on the venue when he met with the communist leaders in the Netherlands last week.

"These are talks among and between Filipinos so there is no need to hold the (peace) talks outside the country," he said.

On the case of Maj. Noel Buan, Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza, who is part of the government peace panel negotiating with the NDF, told The STAR yesterday the New People’s Army (NPA) may free the Army intelligence officer within this month or early April.

"The government had laid down the basic framework to convince the (NDF) that we really want to finally reach a peace agreement and the ball is on their court," he said.

Braganza said Mrs. Arroyo really wants the peace talks with the communists to resume that she had declared a suspension of military operations despite the killing of police Chief Inspector Abelardo Martin.

"With that incident (death of Martin), the President would have decided to to walk out but she did not do that, instead she declared a (suspension of military operations)," he said.

As for Sison’s and Jalandoni’s status, Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., who is also secretary of foreign affairs, told The STAR yesterday the Arroyo administration would not push for their expulsion from the Netherlands to force them to return home.

"We will not do that," he said.

Guingona said Jalandoni would be given a safe-conduct pass upon his arrival and that it would remain valid until government and NDF negotiators have reached an agreement.

"It is no longer the old NDF (to which Jalandoni belongs)," he said.

But Ermita told reporters yesterday complications might arise on the participation of Jalandoni in the peace negotitations as he had admitted that he is now a Dutch citizen.

Guingona said the Estrada administration had been sending evidence to the Dutch government through diplomatic channels to convince its officials that Sison and Jalandoni should be deported.

However, Dutch authorities want additional proof that the communist leaders are really involved in illegal activities in the Philippines, he added.

Guingona said the Dutch Embassy had informed the foreign affairs department that the government in The Hague would find out if legal action and political pressure could be applied on Sison and Jalandoni.

On the other hand, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Lauro Baja Jr. told reporters yesterday the use of Dutch territory by Sison and Jalandoni to sow terror in the Philippines is contrary to the "spirit of cooperation" between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Puwersa ng Masa senatorial candidate Ricardo "Dong" Puno told The STAR yesterday the Arroyo administration should not agree to hold the peace talks abroad so as not to compromise the country’s sovereignty.

Puno, who was a former press secretary of ousted President Joseph Estrada, said the government should not bow to the demands of communist rebels just to show its sincerity to resume the negotiations. – Marichu Villanueva, Jose Rodel Clapano, Aurea Calica, Ric Sapnu