Makalipas ang anim na taon, muling bubuksan ang peace negotiations sa pagitan ng pamahalaan at ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines o NDFP. Bago ito, nagbigay rin ng amnesty ang pamahalaan sa mga dating miyembro ng CPP-NPA-NDF.
Ang mga isyung nais tutukan ng NDFP at ang kanilang inaasahan sa kahihinatnan ng peace talks, alamin kay NDFP Interim Chairperson Julie De Lima sa The Mangahas Interviews.
Ang mga isyung nais tutukan ng NDFP at ang kanilang inaasahan sa kahihinatnan ng peace talks, alamin kay NDFP Interim Chairperson Julie De Lima sa The Mangahas Interviews.
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00:00 [Music]
00:05 The peace talk between the government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,
00:11 what will it bring?
00:13 We will talk about that with the interim chairperson of the NDFP Negotiating Peace Panel, Ms. Juliet Delima.
00:22 She is also the one who has the house of Jose Maria Sison, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
00:31 She is from the Netherlands and she is our interviewee today. Good day, Ms. Julie.
00:37 Good day to you and to the listeners.
00:43 All right. There is a discussion that on November 23, you signed in Oslo that you are ready, the NDFP,
00:52 under the name of the CPP-NPA and the Philippine government under the leadership of Bongbong Marcos Jr. to have peace talks again.
01:01 What does the peaceful and principled solution to the insurgency mean?
01:10 What I mean is that the peaceful and principled solution to the armed conflict
01:22 is to face the roots of the armed conflict in the Philippines.
01:32 These roots are the hardship of the people, their lack of basic freedoms
01:58 like the freedom of expression.
02:03 Because of the terrorist listing, all the opponents of the government are considered terrorists.
02:16 How did this agreement start? Who approached first and how was the other side involved? How did the decision come about?
02:25 This is the Royal Norwegian government.
02:31 They introduced a general who wanted to talk to Mr. Joma.
02:38 That's why the possibility of having peace negotiations was opened.
02:46 He brought the general and after that, Joma accepted his proposal.
03:01 In the following time, a team of GRP and a team of NDFP talked to reopen the peace talks.
03:21 Ms. Julie, I just want to ask, because this is the 7th time that there will be peace talks.
03:27 The breakdown is because of the insistence of the government to have surrender negotiations.
03:43 That will be the content of the peace talks.
03:51 We want to talk about the substantive issues that are the roots of the armed conflict in the Philippines.
04:05 The NDFP mentioned four concerns to continue the peace talks.
04:12 One is the removal of the terrorist tag.
04:14 Second is the release of political prisoners.
04:18 And there are two other reasons. Can you tell us what are the reasons that will give you confidence to continue the peace talks?
04:27 And why did you list them as talking points?
04:31 The four things that I mentioned in my speech when I announced the reopening of the peace negotiations are not preconditions.
04:48 These are issues that need to be resolved in the talks of the two sides.
04:54 These issues are very practical.
04:57 How can we continue the peace negotiations if some leaders, for example the consultants, are in prison?
05:09 That's why we are talking about the release of political prisoners.
05:19 The terrorist tagging of CPP-NPA is the same.
05:23 How about the NDFP? If it is on the terrorist listing, why would they talk to an entity on the terrorist listing?
05:36 I don't think this is according to their will.
05:46 All right. So you said that the four issues or concerns are anticipation of detained NDFP consultants in the negotiations,
05:58 immunity for NDFP members who will participate in the peace talks, release of all political prisoners,
06:06 and abrogation or dropping of the NDFP terrorist designation.
06:12 So those four issues, does the government, the GRP, have an answer?
06:17 They are still discussing it.
06:21 At the time of Duterte, the amnesty was already discussed because he was the one who offered it.
06:28 Duterte was the one who offered the general amnesty when they met with Ma'am Fidel Agcawili.
06:36 For background, CPP, the Communist Party of the Philippines was organized in 1968,
06:44 NPA, the Lupicos Army in 1969, and the National Democratic Front in 1973.
06:51 At that time, the President of the Philippines was Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
06:56 Is there an irony that the President of the Philippines will face the peace talks, his son Ferdinand Marcos Jr.?
07:06 Is that what you are trying to say that there is a misunderstanding or irony?
07:12 Now, it's better if his son will face the revolutionary movement through peace negotiations and he will be able to reverse his father's role.
07:33 When the peace talks are held, how will the funds be distributed?
07:37 Who will provide financial support for the GRP?
07:41 Maybe it's the government but for the MDFP panel, how will it be distributed? Is it cost-sharing?
07:48 No. The Royal Norwegian Government is the one who spends for peace talks.
07:58 Both for the GRP and MDFP. They spend for everything.
08:07 The GRP panel is not spending but they are shopping abroad.
08:16 Do you have a direct line to the President of the Philippines? Is there a go-between?
08:27 Although he has made a public statement that the peace talks are on-going and there is an amnesty,
08:32 he has not yet declared it to the activists and former members of the CPP-NPA.
08:40 What do you think? Do you have a direct line to him? Do you have confidence-building measures?
08:49 We do not have a direct line to the President.
08:54 The only one who is in front of us is the Mayor.
09:00 If the President is serious about the peace negotiations, there will be some improvements here.
09:12 Maybe there can be talks between him and Luia Landoni to facilitate the peace talks.
09:31 Walk us through the process. There was a declaration in Oslo that the President has a statement.
09:39 What is the next step? Aside from Secretary Lagdameo, will there be a negotiating panel, the two sides?
09:51 Yes, of course. The GRP does not have a negotiating panel yet.
09:56 As far as we know, it will be formed before the peace negotiations.
10:04 We are not yet complete. Our principal is ready to form a peace negotiations panel.
10:20 But Mr. Lagdameo and Mr. Haladoni are likely to be part of the two sides, the two sides?
10:26 Mr. Lui is our senior consultant. He is there if he is talking and he can consult.
10:44 As far as I know, Secretary Lagdameo will supervise the negotiating panel of the GRP.
11:00 I'm not sure who it will be. We have not yet been told that they will be members of the GRP negotiating panel.
11:13 In your view, in the past negotiations between the six presidents and the current seven presidents,
11:20 what makes a good negotiator? What do you look for in a character trait, capacity, or expertise?
11:30 The openness of the opinions of both sides, the deep understanding of the issues that are being faced by the peace negotiations
11:44 and the issues that are being faced by the Filipino people. Those are the most important traits that are needed in the success of peace negotiations.
12:02 Do you have a timetable of when the entire panel will be formed and if there is a possibility of a ceasefire on Christmas?
12:11 We have preliminary talks on resuming the talks or negotiations last week of February.
12:28 Okay. As for the ceasefire, it is up to the Communist Party of the Philippines to decide if they will declare a unilateral ceasefire for the holidays,
12:43 for Christmas and for New Year. That is the practice of the parties that decide if there will be a ceasefire, unilateral or not.
12:58 Thank you very much. This has been a very interesting interview.
13:03 I hope that this peace negotiation will continue and that everything will end happily.
13:13 Have a good day Ms. Julie.
13:15 Have a good day to you and to all the listeners.
13:18 What is your position on the UN Security Council's decision to suspend the UN Security Council?
13:28 What is your position on the UN Security Council's decision to suspend the UN Security Council?