NDF sees no peace deal this year

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  -- The National Democratic Front (NDF) sees no bright prospects for nailing a final agreement with the government to end the more than four decades communist-led rebellion in the country this year.

Luis Jalandoni, chairperson of the NDFP negotiating panel, is blaming the Aquino government’s alleged refusal to comply with the JASIG and CARHRIHL, and  its "inoperative" assessment of  The Hague Joint Declaration and declaration of JASIG  as reasons for the bleak outlook for the peace talks.

“(The) prospects this year of the peace negotiations between the Aquino administration and the NDFP are dim,” Jalandoni said in an interview via email.

He added that “the Aquino government is responsible for stopping the peace process.”

According to the NDF chief negotiator, talks with the government have been suspended while the Aquino government “declared through media that it is terminating the peace negotiations with the NDFP.

The NDFP's offer for truce and cooperation was to be realized through a declaration of common intent to uphold national independence and carry out land reform and national industrialization, the NDF official said, adding, it would have helped “accelerate talks on social, economic, and political reforms as stipulated in the substantive agenda stated in The Hague Joint Declaration.”

Again, Jalandoni said, for the talks to resume, the government “should respect the agreements signed.

Further insisting that government should released NDFP Consultants and political prisoners in accordance with CARHRIHL and the JASIG, while “withdrawing its attack against The Hague Joint Declaration as “a document of perpetual division”.

Jalandoni also asked the Philippine government, to “cease daydreaming about destroying the NPA or rendering it inconsequential,” and should instead seek  'a just and lasting peace by addressing the roots of the armed conflict.”

The NDF however expressed its willingness to sit down with the Philippine government negotiators while continuing “to cooperate with the Royal Norwegian Government” the official Third Party Facilitator of the GPH-NDFP peace negotiations.

Jalandoni said the NDF dislikes how the Aquino administration has not shown respect for The Hague Joint Declaration, the JASIG, and the CARHRIHL.
The spokesperson of the rebel group also chided the present government “follows the US Counterinsurgency Guide and its militarist aim of defeating or rendering the NPA inconsequential.”

Jalandoni beamed that “with broad and deep support of the people, the revolutionary forces are active in 71 out of 81 provinces of the country.” 

He said NPAs and the CPP are operating in more than 110 guerrilla fronts, with a typical guerrilla front having the strength of a company with three platoons.”  

Such areas, he said, are run by “organs of political power” alternative people’s governments and enjoy support by mass organizations of workers, peasants, women, youth, cultural groups and children.