Talks not postponed for military offensive – DND
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana denied yesterday claims by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) that the peace talks was postponed to give way to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s (AFP’s) all-out offensive plans against the communists.
“That is not true. The first briefing during that command conference was conducted by Secretary (Silvestre) Bello III to update the President of the result of their back-channeling with the NDF. It was in the course of this briefing and subsequent Q&A (question-and-answer) that the President decided that he needs more time to review all past agreements between the NDF and GRP and the results of the recent back-channeling,” Lorenzana said in a statement.
Lorenzana said the President has already decided to postpone the peace talks when the AFP gave their security briefing and a recommendation to postpone the resumption of the talks for three months.
“Their reason was to be able to study the signed stand down agreement and how to implement it. In that briefing there was no talk of an all-out war but to continue what they have been doing in the past months, i.e., continue their normal security operations to maintain peace and order in the country,” Lorenzana said.
“If we want an all-out war we would not only request for postponement but termination of the peace talks,” he added.
Last Sunday, the CPP said the unilateral cancellation by the President of scheduled resumption of peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway, on June 28 was made primarily in consideration of the AFP’s ongoing campaign plan for all-out military offensive against the rebels until the end of 2018.
In a statement released by its Information Bureau, the CPP said that by calling off the scheduled peace negotiations with the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines), Duterte aims to give the AFP more time to complete its military campaign plan for 2018 of mounting bigger offensives under “Oplan Kapayapaan” in the hope of crippling the NPA and inducing the NDFP to negotiate a surrender.
Too costly abroad Yesterday, Malacañang said the President prefers the government to hold the peace talks in the Philippines, instead of Norway, in order to save costs.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said a third-party facilitator might no longer be needed if the talks are held in the country due to the capability of the peace panel to handle logistics concerns.
“The peace talks must be held here in the Philippines. Kaya nga po ang [That's why his] last declaration niya, it should be held here this July instead of this month,” Roque said during a Palace press briefing about the President’s preference.
“He does not understand why we should continue talking in Norway. Pare-pareho naman tayong Filipino, puwedeng pag-usapan dito na iyan sa Pilipinas, bakit kinakailangan lumayo pa. Gastos pa yan ‘no, ang dami-daming ipapadala pa doon sa Norway (We are all Filipinos anyway. We can talk here in the Philippines so why do we have to go far. It’s just costly. Many people will be sent to Norway),” he added.
The funds to be spent in the negotiations in Norway would be “better spent” to provide for the needs of the communist rebels while the peace talks are ongoing, Roque said.
He said the government would raise the proposed talks in the country to the Norwegian government, which has brokered the negotiations in recent years. ”Whatever process needs to be undertaken will be undertaken. But the President has emphasized that this is a talk between Filipinos, should be held in the Philippines,” he said.
Third-party facilitator Asked if there will still be a third-party facilitator in the peace talks, Roque said: “Wala na po siguro, nandito na naman tayo sa Pilipinas (Maybe no more. We're here in the Philippines anyway).”
“We have a panel and they have the authority to fix the logistics,” he added.
Roque however said the government would still welcome any interested party to facilitate the peace talks between the two sides. “Any party who wants to help and who’s been involved in the process can help,” he added.