Manila: Fed up with their persistent demands for concessions, President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will not order any further releases of detained communist rebels, unless the insurgents sign a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the government.
“Produce for me a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement and I will release them within 48 hours. You can take my word for it,” Philippine government chief peace negotiator Silvestre ‘Bebot’ Bello III quoted Duterte as saying, during a recent meeting at the presidential palace.
Although both sides have each declared their respective unilateral ceasefires, a general atmosphere of mistrust still prevails.
Periodic hostilities occur and each side has accused the other of taking advantage of the absence of fighting to strengthen their forces and improve on military positions.
When he assumed authority in July after winning the May presidential elections, among the first declarations made by Duterte was the resumption of peace negotiations with the various rebel groups.
As a confidence building gesture, the president ordered the immediate release of more than two dozen members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New Peoples’ Army (NPA). Among those freed was Benito and Wilma Tiamzon who are respectively the chairman and secretary general of the CPP.
Recently, the CPP-NPA and its legal activist organisations demanded the release from prison of more than 165 political detainees.
Duterte said the rebels were asking for too many concessions for the CPP-NPA and its negotiating arm, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF).
“The president told us that once he receives even just a facsimile copy of the signed agreement, he will immediately order the release of communist rebels,” Bello, said.
The government panel holding peace talks with the NDF has already submitted a list of 200 prisoners who are eligible for release under the new guidelines of the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognisance and Parole. Among these number, 25 are either elderly, sick, or women, whom officials plan to release on Christmas Day.
According to the NDF, some 434 rebels are still detained all over the country.
Last week, four rebels convicted for murder and kidnapping were given presidential pardons.
As for the reports of frequent violations of the ceasefire, Belo said both sides are working on coming up with a unified set of guidelines for a truce.
“Remember, one life saved is one more happy family,” Bello said.
During the formal opening round of the peace negotiations, both the GRP and NDF panels agreed to submit drafts on bilateral ceasefire.
Bello said it was in the best interest of combatants from both sides, and more so the civilians caught in the middle of the armed conflict, that a “formal ceasefire is in place so that we can monitor any claims of violations.”
The conflict between the government and the CPP-NPA has been going on for 47 years.
The fighting has not only cost the lives of combatants and civilians, but also led to underdevelopment of areas where rebels exert strong influence.