Published February 14, 2017, 12:05 AM

The call of over a hundred congressmen for the revival of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) representing the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New Peoples Army (NPA) reflects a widespread feeling that, with so much already accomplished in the talks, it would be unfortunate if they are now abandoned.

The call to revive the talks was made last Thursday by some 100 lawmakers represented by the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, after the collapse of the peace talks in Rome, Italy. Frustrated by President Dutertes refusal to release immediately some 400 political detainees, the NDF-CPP-NPA panel had announced that the NPA commanders in the field were now free to determine if they would still follow their unilateral ceasefire. President Duterte answered with his own announcement cancelling the governments own ceasefire.

The Makabayan bloc in the House includes lawmakers of party-list organizations Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Anakpawis, and Kabataan. The bloc lamented the breakdown of the talks when so much progress, it said, has already been accomplished.

The negotiating panels had held three sessions the first two in Oslo, Norway, with the support of the Norwegian government, and the latest in Rome, Italy. The two sides had reached agreement on several issues under Socio-Economic Reforms and Political-Constitutional Reforms. They were to take up proposals for a binding bilateral ceasefire to replace their separate unilateral ceasefires at their next meeting on February 22-25 in Utrecht, Switzerland.

In its resolution urging a revival of the talks, Makabayan stressed that the talks under the Duterte administration had gone so much farther than in previous administrations. In response to the Presidents statement that the peace talks would resume if there is a compelling reason that will benefit the nation, Makabayan said a just and lasting peace is a compelling reason to continue the talks.

The two sides will have to step back from their positions on the release of detained political prisoners and reach some middle ground. They also need to talk it out on the NPA complaint that government soldiers are helping in civic community programs in areas they claim to be under their authority.

These are minor issues compared to the solid and basic socio-economic and political-constitutional matters that they have already discussed. Even without declared ceasefires, the two sides should exert all possible efforts to avoid any encounter. In due time, the proper atmosphere for talks should come about and the peace efforts can resume.

Tags: Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), Hopes remain for revival of peace talks, lawmakers, Manila Bulletin, mb.com.ph, National Democratic Front (NDF), New Peoples Army (NPA)

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Hopes remain for revival of peace talks - Manila Bulletin