MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Jamby Madrigal and National Democratic Front Panel (NDFP) chairman Luis Jalandoni have reached an agreement in Utrecht, The Netherlands, seeking the immediate resumption of peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP.
“It is imperative to reiterate the need for the immediate resumption of the formal talks in the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations for the benefit of the Filipino people because of the impact of the global economic crisis on the Philippine economic and political system,” the two said in their joint statement.
Madrigal and Jalandoni also cited previous agreements as bases for the need to pursue the peace talks.
Both also want the government and the NDFP to immediately resolve the issue on the “terrorist” listing of the CPP-NPA and NDFP chief political consultant in accordance with the mutually acceptable principles of national sovereignty of the Filipino people and territorial integrity of the Philippines and the Oslo Joint Statements I and II.
They also called on President Arroyo to replace government peace adviser Hemogenes Esperon Jr. because “he has proven to be a major stumbling block to the resumption of the peace talks.”
“His track record of perpetrating gross and systematic violations of human rights and his use of the disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation (DDR) scheme to set aside the Hague Joint Declaration as the framework of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations make him the anti-thesis of a peacemaker,” the four-page statement said.
The lifting of false charges against NDFP panelists, consultants and staffers was also recommended.
The four-page statement was signed by Jalandoni, Madrigal and NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison.
The other NDFP panelists who met with Madrigal, chair of the Senate committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, were Fidel Agcaoili, Julieta de Lima and Coni Ledesma.
Also present were Sison and political consultant Danilo Borjal.
Madrigal vowed to conduct hearings and further inquire into the foregoing points in order to arrive at legislative and related measures for the purpose of overcoming impediments to the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.
Esperon, for his part, said he serves at the pleasure of the President, junking the call of Madrigal for him to be replaced as presidential adviser on the peace process.
“As a presidential appointee, I always strive to give my best in my function as presidential adviser on the peace process. I have no personal and political agenda. I shall continue to serve as long as the President has trust and confidence in me,” Esperon told The STAR.
“My aspiration is to help attain peace, especially in Mindanao. I have my heart and mind in Mindanao having been assigned there nine times, from platoon leader to Brigade Commander,” Esperon said. – With Jose Rodel Clapano