pepp calls for resumption of peace talks


AUDACITY OF HOPE We, the undersigned of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform, composed of representatives from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, the Ecumenical Bishop’s Forum and the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines gathered in Tagaytay from November 17-19, 2007 declare that we: ■ are disturbed by the continuing rapid erosion of the nation’s moral fabric, the growing indifference and cynicism among our people, especially our youth, to anomalies and misdeeds committed in high places of government; ■ are deeply concerned with the continuing aggravation of our social and economic problems leading to the deteriorating peace and order situation, and the breakdown of the rule of law; ■ acknowledge and accept our role and responsibility as ministers of the Gospel that sets all people free and witnesses to the resurrection of Christ. ■ are desirous of contributing to the solution of these problems that beset our people today, ■ are aware of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP); and ■ concur with its objective of attaining a just and lasting peace by addressing the roots of the armed conflict in this country, through the institution of fundamental social, economic and political reforms. ■ appreciate the fact that despite the current and long-standing impasse, both parties have recently expressed their openness to the resumption of talks, and have taken initial steps in this direction. Thus, we call on the the GRP and NDFP to immediately undertake measures to reactivate and revitalize the stalled negotiations and resume the formal peace talks without preconditions, in accordance with all prior bilateral agreements. We call on the two parties to immediately conduct informal exploratory talks to break the impasse, seek ways of surmounting the obstacles and resolve the outstanding issues with respect to the resumption of formal talks. In particular, we now urge the GRP and NDFP to undertake goodwill and confidence-building measures, including the reaffirmation of the validity and effectivity of all their previous agreements (such as the 1992 Hague Joint Declaration, the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees or JASIG, and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, or CARHRIHL) and the reactivation of the Joint Monitoring Committee. For our part, we commit to continue sowing the seeds of peace and justice. Anytime is the best time to “seek peace and pursue it”. We shall engage our communities and mobilize our organizations in the discussion of the elemental barriers to peace and the equally essential issues that promote a just and lasting peace. We shall henceforth take a more active role, for example, in contributing to the dissemination and implementation of the CARHRIHL, and in generating discussions on social, economic and political reforms, especially among the youth and other basic sectors who are the main stakeholders in the peace process. These we will do in prayer and with the audacity to hope that the cries for long and lasting peace and justice will reverberate in this land and finally come to pass. Signed: ARCHBISHOP Antonio J. Ledesma, S.J., DD MOST REV. Deogracias S. Iñiguez, Jr., DD Co-chairperson, PEPP Co-chairperson, Ecumenical Bishops Forum Ms. Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz-Duremdes, CPBC SR. Mary John M. Mananzan, OSB Co-chairperson, PEPP Co-chairperson, AMRSP BISHOP Solito K. Toquero, UMC BISHOP Jesse S. Suarez Co-chairperson, Ecumenical Bishops Forum South Luzon Jurisdiction – UCCP BISHOP Ephraim Tendero OBISPO MAXIMO Godofredo J. David Phil. Council of Evangelical Churches Iglesia Filipina Independiente BISHOP Nathanael Lazaro MOST REV. Antonio R. Tobias, D.D. General Superintendent, IEMELIF Diocese of Novaliches BISHOP Gabriel A. Garol Mr. Danny Ocampo United Church of Christ in the Philippines Catholic Relief Service Sr. Cres Lucero, SFIC Mr. Rey Casambre AMRSP-TFD Philippine Peace Center Dr. Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro, UCCP Fr. Rex. R.B. Reyes, Jr. Dean, Divinity School, Silliman University NCCP General Secretary Mr. Cesar H. Villanueva Ms. Myla Leguro Pax Christi Catholic Relief Service – Mindanao Mr. Alvaro Senturias Dr. Erlinda N. Senturias Mindanao Peace People’s Movement President, CREDO Rev. Marie Sol Villalon Ms. Ofelia A. Cantor United Methodist Church EBF-PEPP Download statement









		Update Jan. 24. Sison: Arroyo regime refuses to heed call for peace negotiations without preconditons Update Jan. 24. CPP welcomes church calls for peace talks, hits government ceasefire precondition Update Jan. 25. Jalandoni: Executive Secretary Ermita lets the cat out of the bag Update Jan. 26. Sison: Informal exploratory talks can lead to formal peace talks if Arroyo regime complies with prior GRP-NDFP agreements


Press Statement 24 January 2008 ARROYO REGIME REFUSES TO HEED CALL FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS By Prof. Jose Maria Sison Chief Political Consultant National Democratic Front of the Philippines It is lamentable that the Arroyo regime has refused to heed the call of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) for the resumption of formal talks in the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), without preconditions and in accordance with prior agreements from The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 to the Oslo Joint Statements of 2004. Through its highest officials, the Aquino regime has reiterated its intransigent position that the revolutionary movement must be destroyed militarily and that the resumption of talks must be preconditioned by the immediate silencing or pacification of the people's army. The regime seeks to avoid negotiations on basic social, economic and political reforms and to give its military and police forces all the leeway to perpetrate human rights violations with impunity. Luis Jalandoni, chairperson of the NDFP Negotiating Panel, has welcomed the call of the PEPP for the resumption of peace talks and has reiterated the long standing position of the NDFP that there can be exploratory talks immediately to ensure compliance with the existing agreements between the GRP and NDFP, undo the impediments that have been put up by the GRP under the Arroyo regime and thus pave the way for the resumption of formal talks. Unlike the officials of the Arroyo regime, Jalandoni has shown respect for the call of the PEPP. This ecumenical formation includes representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Association of Major Religious Superiors of Men and Women in the Philippines (AMRSP), and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC). The Arroyo regime is reprehensible for constantly boasting of its ability to destroy the revolutionary forces of the people and thereby challenging them to intensify the people's war. The regime is always trying to conceal the dismal failures of Oplan Bantay Laya 1 and 2 and distract the people's attention from the ever worsening crisis of the local ruling system and the world capitalist system.###	Information Bureau Communist Party of the Philippines Press Release January 24, 2007 CPP welcomes church calls for peace talks, hits government ceasefire precondition The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today welcomed the call of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) for the Philippine government for the resumption of peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) “without preconditions.” CPP spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal said “The position of the CPP and the NDFP is congruent to call of the PEPP. The revolutionary forces have always maintained an open door for the continuation of the peace negotiations with the Philippine government in accordance with principles and agreements mutually forged since the early 1990s.” “We’d like to see peace talks resume immediately without preconditions and in accordance with all prior agreements,” said Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, who spoke for the PEPP. The PEPP is composed of representatives from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Association of Major Religious Superiors of Men and Women in the Philippines (AMRSP), and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC). Malacañang, however, outrightly dismissed yesterday the PEPP’s call. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita yesterday expressed Malacañang’s precondition that an indefinite ceasefire first be observed by the New People's Army (NPA) before resuming peace negotiations. Rosal denounced Malacañang's position saying it does not help any in laying the ground for the continuation of peace negotiations. He clarified that “a cessation of hostilities is the possible end-result of peace negotiations that can be achieved in the process of reaching mutual understandings, forging key agreements and resolving the socio-economic roots of the armed hostilities.” He added that a long-term ceasefire can be achieved, but certain conditions must first have to be met, including unity on a 10-Point Concise Agreement for a Just and Lasting Peace that has long been proposed by the NDFP. Rosal said “the militarist position of the Arroyo regime and its impossible pre-talks ceasefire precondition serve as the biggest impediments to resuming peace negotiations. Malacañang is obsessed with its unrealistic and intransigent notion that it can put an end to the armed conflict even if only through military means.” He urged church groups to “put pressure on the Arroyo government to respect all previous agreements and to remove impediments and conditions that violate previous agreements and make peace talks untenable.” Rosal added that “Before the resumption of peace talks the Arroyo government must also first settle key prejudicial questions, including the violations of previous agreements, the continuing spate of extrajudicial killings, abductions, torture and fascist attacks against NDFP peace consultants among others, and the compensation of human rights victims." The CPP spokesperson said that the Arroyo government has been disregarding and violating several key agreement in the past. Rosal said these violations include the 2004 Oslo Accords provision that the Philippine government and the NDFP should work jointly and separately to undo the Philippine government’s previous work for the inclusion of the CPP, NPA and NDF Senior Consultant Jose Ma. Sison in the US’ “terrorist” list. ◄◄
He also said that since peace talks between the NDFP and the Philippine government began, the latter has been failing to deliver a long-standing provision that indemnification will be given to claimants of gross human rights violations under the Marcos dictatorship and others. Rosal also denounced the Arroyo government and its armed forces for the abductions and killing of NDFP consultants, staffers and other personnel involved in the peace process in violation of such standing agreeements as the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
PRESS STATEMENT 25 January 2008 EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ERMITA LETS THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG By LUIS G. JALANDONI Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita lets the cat out of the bag when he said, “So what’s …the end game for negotiation? Let’s silence the guns.” He thus exposes his militarist mindset. All he wants from peace negotiations is that the people’s army surrenders. Silence the guns of the people’s army, but of course not the guns of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and the regime’s death squads. It is also utterly ridiculous that even before the peace negotiations can resume, he sets as precondition getting immediately the surrender and pacification that the expects from the end game that he conceives of. The alpha and omega for the Arroyo regime is the disarming of the revolutionary forces, the perpetuation of the oppressive and exploitative system and the prevention of basic social, economic and political reforms. All that the regime is interested in is surrender negotiations and not real peace negotiations in the interest of the Filipino people For the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the end game of peace negotiations means no more government corruption. It means food for the people, education and health care available for all, genuine land reform for the many millions of peasants and no more landgrabbing in favor of big compradors like San Miguel Corporation, respect for the ancestral domain of the indigenous peoples and no more license to plunder for foreign mining companies like Lafayette, Sagittarius and Toronto Ventures. For the NDFP, the end game of peace negotiations means Filipinos no longer have to go abroad to find work, no more contractualization and assumption of jurisdiction against the workers but guarantee of their right to organize and strike and to job security. National industrialization to ensure the development of a healthy economy. No more trafficking of women and other violations of their rights. ►	The end game means no more unequal treaties like the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), but rather mutually beneficial relations with other countries and foreign investors. No more US troops in the Philippines. In short, for the NDFP, the end game of negotiations is a just and lasting peace based on respect for the dignity and rights of the Filipino people. The NDFP is open and willing to have exploratory talks without preconditions. We appreciate the call of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) and other peace advocates for the resumption of peace negotiations between the Government and the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the NDFP. We commend the principled position taken by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro who declared: “We’d like to see peace talks resume immediately without preconditions and in accordance with all prior agreements.” To Executive Secretary Ermita we say: “Set aside your militarist mindset and heed the call of so many peace advocates in the Philippines and abroad for the resumption of peace talks.” To National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and his close associate, Fr. Romeo Intengan, we say: “Set aside your rabid anti-communist line of wanting to destroy the revolutionary movement.” To Ermita, Gonzales and Intengan, we say: “Be guided, if not by the people’s interest, at least by real politik. Consider the reality on the ground. The New People's Army will soon celebrate its 39th anniversary. The dictator Marcos, with US military and political support, could not defeat it, nor could successive regimes after his. The New People’s Army is deeply rooted in the people whose interest it defends. It in turn is cherished and supported by the people.” To Ermita and Gonzales, and to Mrs. Gloria Arroyo herself, we can say: “Why be afraid of exploratory talks without preconditions?” You should even be more afraid that there would be no more peace talks because your rule will become more unstable as the crisis of the ruling system worsens rapidly under the weight of the world capitalist crisis and the conditions for waging armed revolution are more favorable than ever before. # REFERENCE: Ruth de Leon Executive Director NDFP International Information Office Tel.+31-30-2310431 Fax +31-84-7589930 Email: ndf@casema.nl Download statement
Press Statement 26 January 2008 INFORMAL EXPLORATORY TALKS CAN LEAD TO FORMAL PEACE TALKS IF ARROYO REGIME COMPLIES WITH PRIOR GRP-NDFP AGREEMENTS By Prof. Jose Maria Sison Chief Political Consultant National Democratic Front of the Philippines If it really wants to resume formal peace talks, the Arroyo regime must comply with the prior agreements between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and do away with all the impediments that violate said agreements and prevent peace talks. Informal exploratory talks in Oslo can thus lead to formal peace talks. The NDFP has listed 12 major impediments which the Arroyo regime has previously put up. One of these is the precondition of the regime that the NDFP must cease the people's armed revolution before there can be any formal talks and before there can be any substantive agreement on social, economic and political reforms. This precondition violates The Hague Joint Declaration which stipulates that no side in the peace negotiations shall seek to impose on the other any precondition that negates the inherent character and purpose of peace negotiations. It is utterly wrong for the Arroyo regime to lay aside the agenda on social, economic and political reforms and convert the peace negotiations to one of surrender and pacification at the expense of the Filipino people and revolutionary forces. As a matter of revolutionary principle and compliance with prior GRP-NDFP agreements, the NDFP cannot agree to the surrender and pacification of the revolutionary forces and people under the guise of an indefinite ceasefire. ►	The end of hostilities and disposition of forces constitute the fourth and last item of the substantive agenda of the peace negotiations. This comes properly for negotiation only after comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms are forged and signed by the principals of the GRP and NDFP. The Arroyo regime should not use the last item in the agenda to lay aside the people's demand for basic social, economic and political reforms. The military hawks and clerico-fascists in the regime should stop imagining that they can force or outwit the NDFP to capitulate. It is obvious that the Arroyo regime is not at all interested in serious negotiations to address the roots of the civil war and produce agreements on social,economic and political reforms. The regime is obsessed with the so-called military solution, augmented by demands for the pacification and surrender of the revolutionary forces, by sham localized talks with ready made stooges and by pretended amnesty and rehabilitation for fake and ghost surrenderees. However, the Arroyo regime cannot really impose its precondition on the NDFP. Oplan Bantay Laya 1 & 2 are resounding failures in sharp contrast to the growing strength and advance of the people's armed revolutionary movement. The military and police forces of the regime have become fatigued by futile campaigns of suppression, factionalized by political and criminal rivalries and thoroughly discredited by rampant human rights violations. The Arroyo regime's false claims to economic growth are being exposed as big lies by the rapidly worsening living conditions of the people and by the deepening crisis of the underdeveloped Philippine economy under the weight of the rapidly worsening crisis of the US and world capitalist system. The broad masses of the people are clamoring for revolutionary change. They wish to liberate themselves from the escalation of oppression and exploitation.### Download statement


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