NDF rebels offer month-long Christmas ceasefire

The National Democratic Front (NDF) proposed yesterday a month-long Christmas ceasefire with the government and offered to free four captives, one of them an Army sergeant, to jump-start stalled peace talks.

President Arroyo said the proposal was possible although she would first get the recommendation of her security advisers and the government panel on the NDF peace talks.

"Bahala na ang panel (It’s up to the panel). I will also get the advice of the Cabinet oversight committee on security," the President said.

In a telephone interview from Utrecht in the Netherlands, exiled NDF chairman Luis Jalandoni told a Manila radio station they were ready to observe a ceasefire from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15 "if the government is also willing."

He stressed that the offer is conditional on the government signing a truce pact. "A one-sided truce would not be effective," he said.

Jalandoni said the NDF is ready to improve the climate for peace negotiations by facilitating the release of three suspected government assets and a soldier being held by their armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

Army Sgt. Jeremias Rosete and suspected government assets Wilfredo Maldecir, Pepito Simbulan and Herminia Sorongon were captured by NPA guerrillas last September.

Jalandoni said the four, who are being held in the hinterlands of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, could be released on or before Feb. 7 next year.

However, he said the Arroyo administration should release all "political prisoners," including two men who assassinated US Army Col. James Rowe in 1987.

The NDF leader said he talked with former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III, head of the government peace panel, and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. last Nov. 30 on the possible prisoner swap. The two were in Oslo over the weekend to secure the Norwegian government’s continued support for the peace process.

Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, who met with both panels, said his country will continue to host the negotiations. A new round of talks has been set from Dec. 16-20.

Jalandoni reiterated the need for the creation of a joint monitoring committee to prevent atrocities from halting talks.

The committee will be tasked to handle complaints from either side regarding violations of human rights and international humanitarian laws.

Presidential adviser on the peace process, retired Gen. Eduardo Ermita, said security officials have not discussed any guidelines for a ceasefire, although he acknowledged it has been the government’s practice to declare a unilateral Christmas truce.

The NDF had usually followed with their own unilateral ceasefire.

"Let’s just wait for guidelines to be drawn up from next week toward Christmas time," Ermita said.

He said the government will also take into consideration violations of previous ceasefires by communist rebels.

The Arroyo administration suspended negotiations for a political settlement after the NPA assassinated two members of Congress in May and June.

Malacañang said last month that for talks to proceed, there must be some assurance from the NDF that they would cease all political assassinations. — With Marichu Villanueva