Palace: No reason for peace talks to fail

MANILA, Philippines - There is no reason for the government’s peace talks with the communist rebels to fail, particularly because members of the government’s negotiating team are sympathetic to their cause, Malacañang said yesterday.

“This is the best peace panel that the NPA (New People’s Army) will be dealing with... We’ve got (people) they are familiar with. They’ve got friends in the peace panel. So, we expect them to come to the peace talks in good faith,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Lacierda cited as example chief government negotiator Health Undersecretary Alex Padilla, who is a renowned human rights lawyer, and Pablito Sanidad, a lawyer, both very familiar with the hierarchy of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

“And with Undersecretary Padilla and (Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary) Ging Deles and the others, who are friendly with them, like attorney Sanidad, we would expect the CPP-NPA-NDF to come to the peace panel in good faith,” Lacierda pointed out.

Deles, for her part, vowed to make the people feel the peace this year.

She called on all employees of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) to help the Aquino administration pursue peace and development in the country.

“We will win the peace. Let us make that felt in 2011,” she said.

Deles gave assurance there would be significant developments on the peace efforts with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the CPP-NPA-NDF by the middle of the month.

Deles said informal talks between the government peace panel with the CPP-NPA-NDF would start in Norway from Jan. 14 to 18.

She added this would also start the implementation of the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program, the government’s flagship program that seeks to empower internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other families living in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.

Lacierda, on the other hand, refused to categorize several attacks of the NPA as outright violations of the 19-day ceasefire agreement that ended yesterday.

“We have to see. There was a claim of violation. What is important is the show of good faith on both sides. We showed that the government is sincere, that we are sincere in our efforts to make the peace process a continuing effort,” he said. Lacierda said the government is hoping for a successful agreement with the communist rebels. “Again, it’s all up to the parties concerned. As far as the government is concerned, we are trying to assure (them) that we are sincere in our efforts to make sure that there will be a lasting peace agreement,” he added.

No less than President Aquino himself declared that he would deal with the CPP-NPA-NDF in good faith no matter what. “At the very least, the government will demonstrate its sincerity in trying to achieve peace through dialogue rather than violence. But we’ll do what we have to do,” Lacierda said.

At the same time, Malacañang is open to proposals to include CPP-NPA spokesman Gregorio Rosal in the rebel-negotiating panel. This only proves that the government is doing all it can to achieve a lasting peace, Lacierda said.

“As far as we are concerned, we are prepared to negotiate with any member of the peace panel that they nominate. It doesn’t matter to us. It’s not for us to determine who will comprise the panel of the CPP-NPA-NDF. It’s up to them who will comprise their peace panel,” he said. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Edith Regalado and Jaime Laude