What’s gov’t’s next move on peace talks resumption?

At the start of December 2023, I wrote in this space that “an atmosphere of optimism pervaded the nation.” It was spurred by the joint announcement by the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) of an agreement to return to peace negotiations, possibly to begin in the first quarter of 2024.

Principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict, resolving its root causes and ending it constitute the core basis of the joint statement. The first goal to be agreed on is the framework that sets out the priority for the peace negotiations aimed at achieving the relevant socioeconomic and political reforms towards a just and lasting peace.

I wrote three successive column pieces (Dec. 2, 9 and 16) on this topic. The first dwelt on the need for the government to act fast on removing hindrances to the pursuance of peace negotiations that were put in place under the Duterte administration. The second discussed the various statements emanating from government, mainly from the peace adviser’s office and the NTF-ELCAC, which I described as “neither here nor there.” The third piece bluntly asked: “Is the peace adviser spoiling the resumption of talks?”

Attention to this issue was called last week by United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan’s recommendation for government to abolish the controversial NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict). Besides addressing the problem of red-tagging – which she said was raised “again and again” during her 10-day visit – Khan said such a move would allow the current administration “to modernize peacebuilding approaches based on a changing political landscape.”

The NTF-ELCAC abolition, Khan explained, “will allow for more all-inclusive peace-making platforms,” with the participation of women-peacemakers and communities as a genuine ‘‘whole-of-nation’’ approach to peace.

She insightfully pointed out that “it will pay rich dividends as civil society can help to identify and address the cause and drivers of terrorism, channel discontent into peaceful activism and build trust between the State and its citizens.”

What’s the Marcos Jr. administration’s response to Khan’s recommendation? More pointedly, what step has it taken to foster the resumption of the GRP-NDF peace negotiations?  Since the late November announcement, no word has come from Marcos Jr.

The other day Al Jazeera came out with a report tending to show “shaky prospects” for the peace talks resumption. It noted that following the public disclosure of the Nov. 23 joint statement, “contradicting statements, public bickering and continued armed clashes between the (AFP) and the (NPA) have tarnished hopes of an agreement.”   

The report noted that while the November joint statement drew optimism because of its explicit language committing both parties to seek socioeconomic and political reforms towards a just and lasting peace, disagreements quickly emerged on how to institute reforms.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano has opposed removing the CPP-NPA from the list of “terrorist” organizations and the release of detained NDFP consultants to participate in the peace talks.

Julieta de Lima, interim chairperson of the NDFP negotiating panel, pressed for the consultants’ release as their roles are vital in the negotiations on socioeconomic and political reforms. “It will be very difficult without that,” she told Al Jazeera. “Still, we have this guarded optimism that these talks may proceed.”

De Lima also told Al Jazeera that the government side has not approached her panel since the Nov. 23 communique was made public.

It’s “disheartening” that the office of the presidential peace adviser, Carlito Galvez Jr., has chosen to “negotiate publicly,” De Lima said. She was referring to Galvez’s guesting at the media forum of PhilSTAR associate editor Marichu Villanueva, at which he announced his office’s own peace program, naming it a Public-Private Partnership for Peace, or “PPP 4 Peace,” a takeoff from the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, a national poverty-reduction program.

Al Jazeera itself reported that Galvez didn’t respond to its multiple requests for comment.

Of late, international observers have been showing interest in the prospect of the peace talks. For instance, Georgi Engelbrecht, senior analyst of the International Crisis Group, noted in an Al Jazeera interview that many observers of the Philippine situation are “cautious rather than optimistic” about the prospects of the revival.

It’s not that gloomy, however, as Engelbrecht expressed some hopefulness: “The fact that we are at this stage is already progress,” he pointed out. “Now, both sides need to show their commitment and genuine intentions.”   

That hopefulness was likewise reflected by Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, the UP professor appointed by then president Benigno Aquino III as chief negotiator for the government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the latter phase of the protracted peace negotiations. She successfully completed and forged a final agreement with the MILF a decade ago (and was conferred a Ramon Magsaysay Award for it). The comprehensive accord has seen progressing implementation in stages, with both parties apparently satisfied.

Before any talk of a ceasefire or of freeing the NDFP peace consultants, Al Jazeera reported Coronel-Ferrer as suggesting the first step is setting up an agenda and finding realistic goals to work towards. The government, she further suggested, must also assuage fears that the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 might continue to be used to target current or former communist rebels.

Assessing the prospects of the GRP-NDFP talks pushing forward, Coronel-Ferrer told Al Jazeera that it may come down to which voices in the government and the military are most persistent. Marcos Jr. might be more swayed by the louder voices who are calling for an end to almost 60 years of armed conflict. “He doesn’t want to be another Marcos killer or Marcos fascist,” she was quoted as saying.

The more hawkish elements in the  government and armed forces might still be chasing that elusive military victory, she surmised.

“They have the feeling they’re already winning. So why should they miss that?” Coronel-Ferrer asked. And then she added, “But they will never really eradicate them.”