Dureza, Bello leave for Oslo to meet with NDF

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Incoming presidential adviser on the peace process Jesus Dureza and incoming secretary of labor Silvestre Bello III left last night for Oslo, Norway for an informal meeting with Communist Party of the Philippines/ National People’s Army/ National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP/NPA/NDFP) officials.

Dureza said the informal meeting is on instruction of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte to pave the way for the early resumption of the long-stalled peace negotiations. 

Former Pangasinan congressman Hernani Braganza accompanied Dureza and Bello.

“We look forward to a fruitful meeting under the auspices of the Norwegian government on the sidelines of the Oslo Forum,” Dureza said in a statement yesterday.

Dureza flew to Oslo in spite of fears expressed by the CPP-NDFP that founder Jose Ma. Sison might be arrested should he decide to come home for the resumption of peace talks. 

Duterte also offered Sison a consultancy post in his administration.

He also appointed a number of leftist personalities to his Cabinet, such as Judy Taguiwalo as social welfare and development secretary and Rafael Mariano as agrarian reform secretary. 

He expressed hope that with such confidence building measures will lead to a peace agreement between the government and the left soon.  

Talks with BIFF, Abus

Dureza said Duterte is also willing to talk to armed groups such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf if they reject violence and face the consequence of their criminal acts.

Dureza said he would welcome members of armed groups who want to change their ways to live peaceful lives.

“You don’t deal with terrorists, of course. They have no grievance. They have no cause, just plain criminality,” he said in a press conference Thursday night.

“But if the head of Abu Sayyaf approaches me and says he will no longer kill people or stage kidnappings, that they will stop because change is happening, who am I to say ‘go ahead, continue killing people?’”

“I don’t know what the conditions will be because these will have to be discussed,” he added.

Dureza, however, clarified that the talks would not erase the criminal liability of those who violated the law.

“If they are willing to change their ways and submit themselves to the responsibilities that they have committed criminal acts…If they surrender, for example, because they killed somebody, they will have to be prosecuted,” he said.

“I will welcome all of them and say OK, what crime did you commit? You should be subjected to prosecution. If you beheaded someone, we cannot give you amnesty. You have to pay for the crimes you have committed.”

In April, Abu Sayyaf bandits beheaded Canadian hostage John Ridsdel after his family failed to pay the P300-million ransom they had demanded.

Ridsdel, his fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Maritess Flor were kidnapped in Samal Island off Davao Oriental on Sept. 21, 2015.

On Wednesday, the Abu Sayyaf released four Malaysian sailors it kidnapped off Sabah coast last April.

Presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles is hoping that the Duterte administration will continue the fight for peace in Mindanao.

Deles highlighted the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process under the Aquino government during the launch of the book titled “Junctures” at Malacañang on Thursday.  – With Alexis Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano