We in Kapayapaan: Campaign for a Just and Lasting Peace welcome and view with optimism the release by the New People's Army of PO3 Vic Calubag Concon, PO1 Rey O'niel Morales, PO1 Joen Zabala and PO1 Edito Roquino in the mountains of Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte. It demonstrated that much could be accomplished if the GPH and the NDFP resolve to find common ground to work together despite their seemingly irreconcilable differences and opposing positions.
The act of goodwill exhibited by the NDFP, the NPA in Mindanao and Jorge Madlos, NDF spokesperson, in bringing about the release of the four police officers was reported to be a "confidence building measure" for the possible resumption of stalled peace talks between the GPH and the NDFP.
Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas who made the five-day ceasefire in military and police operations possible in order to effect the release of the four police officers reciprocated this goodwill measure by the NPA. By doing so, not only did Secretary Mar Roxas ensure the safe release of the four police officers, he made a step forward in breaking the impasse in the GPH-NDFP talks.
Secretary Roxas and Madlos showed that with enough political will and mutual trust, the GPH and NDFP could work together toward arriving at mutually acceptable solutions. We also commend the ecumenical community in Surigao led by Bp. Rhee Timbang, IFI Diocese of Surigao, for playing a facilitative role in the release.
We in Kapayapaan urge both Parties not to stop with the release of the four police officers but to build on this act of goodwill. We call on them toresume the peace talks, honor all bilateral agreements and proceed to the next substantive agenda — social and economic reforms — in order to address the roots of the armed conflict.
BP. DEOGRACIAS INIGUEZ DD
BP. ELMER BOLOCON
EDITA BURGOS Ed D
DEAN ANGELITO MANALILI