Arroyo government wants to get rebels’ confidence

"Confidence-building" is now the thrust of the Arroyo administration in its bid to revive stalled peace negotiations with the communist and Muslim separatist movements.

Acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the Arroyo Cabinet, in a meeting yesterday, agreed to adopt measures to show the new government’s sincerity in reviving the talks, such as a temporary suspension of military offensives against the two rebel groups.

But Ermita told reporters that the military leadership has to be consulted on such a move.

Ermita, also the presidential adviser on the peace process, however, said the government would not give in to the demands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for a withdrawal of military forces from certain areas and the pullout of troops from at least 40 of its camps which were overrun last year.

Ermita said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also instructed him to discuss her administration’s peace initiatives with lawyer Haydee Yorac and other former members of the National Peace Forum.

Yorac’s group resigned last November and called on former President Joseph Estrada to resign.

He said Mrs. Arroyo wants "informal links" to be established with the MILF and the communist group.

He added that they will also look into local peace accords entered into by the Estrada government. — Marichu Villanueva