GRP to seek continuance of talks with Reds

The Philippine Government Panel (GRP) will be seeking the permission of President Duterte this week for it to officially resume its peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF).

In a radio interview yesterday, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary and GRP Chief Peace Negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the NDF has already given its explanation on why the NPA raided a police station in Iloilo last June 18, despite its earlier declaration to refrain from conducting attacks in Mindanao while government operations to expel the Maute Group in Marawi City were ongoing.

Bello said he was informed by the NDF’s senior official Fidel Agcaoili that the attack is part of their contribution to the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

“He (Fidel) told me that the offensive was not really planned, but they decided to proceed with it after they got multiple reports of the involvement of the police there to (illegal) drugs,” Bello said in an interview in DZRH.

Aside from illegal drugs, NPA also alleged the police in the said station were also extorting money from vendors and perpetrating illegal gambling within their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the NDF has called on the GRP to resume discussions on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) as a “paramount proof of sincerity” in the peace talks in place of a cease-fire.

In a statement, Alan Jazmines, vice chairperson of the NDF Reciprocal Working Committee on Social and Economic Reforms (RWC-SER), maintained the armed conflict will only stop if demands on land reform, national industrialization, protection of the environment, free exercise of people’s economic, social and cultural rights, and economic sovereignty are already addressed.

He said that the unaddressed socio-economic issues keep them from urging Duterte to continue the fifth round even as the government forces continue its all-out war policy and martial law in Mindanao.

He said that the agreement on free land redistribution that both GRP and NDF panels came up with during the fourth round of peace talks “is a step in the right direction,” which must be followed up with more agreements on the proposed socio-economic reforms.