3rd ID wants peace talks w/ NDF

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has announced it would not give up asking for a localized dialogue with the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) for peace talks.

This call came despite the NDF-Panay’s repeated refusal to hold a discussion with the military. In its latest statement released last week, the NDF-Panay, through its spokesperson Edmundo Vencer, rejected the 3rd ID’s offer stating several points.

“We consider this recent statement of NDF-Panay a significant development for the future of Western Visayas in terms of peace. We can now continue talking,” said Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., 3rd ID commanding officer, adding that the snub was an indication that they listen.

Maj. Enrico Gil Ileto, 3rd ID spokesperson added that this exchange of statement could be a start of informal and indirect talks between the 3rd ID and the local NDF.

Mabanta answered some probable questions from the points raised by NDF-Panay, the first of which was on insinuations that the call for peace was not sincere. “We will never falter in our call for peace. We will continue to ask the CPP/NPA/NDF for a localized dialogue for peace. An example on this, let us look at the RPA-ABB who is now talking peace with the government,” Mabanta said.

“The Army shall apply the legitimate use of force focused on the armed components only of insurgent groups conducted with zero tolerance for collateral damage with the complementing efforts of other stakeholders in addressing the roots of the conflict,” Mabanta said.

On allegations that the military has the intention to bring war, Mabanta said: “We bring ‘winning the peace’ to the citizens who we serve in order to help the nation create an environment conducive for sustainable development and a just and lasting peace.”

Mabanta said the military has asked the NDF for talks and one of the issues to be addressed was extortion. Analysis of captured NPA documents revealed the anti-people stance of extorting not only money from the peasantry but extorting goods from the people as well.

“Let us not take away goods and money from what the people have worked hard for. Instead, let us bring the goods to them which the Philippine Army is doing now,” he said.

On the alleged saturation of Tumandok land, Mabanta admitted this as true. He however said: “It is saturation with support. The peasantry does not need to go into uprising against the government because concerned agencies are at the forefront looking for answers to the challenges of daily living to sustain community development initiatives ... so that the basic needs of the people are addressed to.”

Mabanta pointed out, though, that the release of NPA consultants is a concern at the national level. “Arrests made by security forces are well within the rule of law.”

The 3rd ID chief also defended the reports they made on the status of the government’s anti-insurgency campaign.

“Reporting Army’s gains, including battle or non-battle related casualties, is our responsibility to the people who we serve, in the spirit of accountability and transparency. The families of soldiers also have to know who just like the soldiers, deserve recognition so that peace may reign for the nation,” he said.

Lastly, Mabanta stood firm that the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as land mines are so unstable and difficult to control, in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.