A reflection on the Oslo Joint Statement and the path to peace in rural Mindanao

ON BEHALF of the members of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines- Northern Mindanao Region ( RMP- NMR), I welcome the signing of the Oslo Joint Statement that signals the possible resumption of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. With guarded optimism, may this progress enable us to resume our lives at RMP- NMR, where staff and members face widespread persecution for advocating for land rights and the people’s right to selfdetermined development, as well as for speaking out against the evil structures that prevent these rights from being realized and forbid the impoverished rural communities from enjoying the fullness of life. Unbeknownst to many, a number of my colleagues — comprising both nuns and lay co- workers — are presently incarcerated on fabricated charges, or are seeking sanctuary across various regions in the country and around the world to evade relentless persecution from the authorities.

Similarly, leaders and members of people’s organizations in our partner communities on this southern island are facing similar persecution, with some experiencing even graver consequences of extrajudicial killings.

Compounding these issues, the government has frozen our group’s financial accounts, impeding our ability to carry out crucial projects planned in collaboration with partner communities on sustainable agriculture, health, education, relief, and rehabilitation, among others. The backdrop for these attacks is rooted in the previous administration’s penchant for hatred and violence. May the resumption of talks pave the way for the dismissal of fabricated charges against members of RMPNMR and the unfreezing of our bank accounts.

Let it also bring about the liberation of persecuted church workers, human rights defenders, and all political prisoners held captive due to their conscientiously held beliefs, enabling us to reunite with our l oved ones at l ast. We urge the administration of Marcos Jr. to fulfill these aspirations, not only as a goodwill gesture fostering the resumption of talks but also to distance itself from the negative legacy of the previous government, which made the path to peace perilous. This act will demonstrate a genuine commitment to the people’s f undamental desires for land reform, national development, and lasting peace, as well as to uphold the civil and political rights of those who dedicated their lives to these ideals. May this contribute to enabling our brethren to experience life in all its richness.

From my isolated cell in Malaybalay City Jail, which has borne witness to my sorrows and yearning to return home over the past five years, I extend heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with hope and peace to everyone. – EMILIO M. GABALES III, political detainee, BJMP-Malaybalay City Jail

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Emilio M. Gabales III, aged 47, is a land rights activist, development worker, and advocate of Moro and Indigenous Peoples’ right to selfdetermined development. For nearly three decades, he has committed himself to organizing communities of impoverished farmers, agricultural workers, fisherfolks, and Indigenous

and Moro Peoples. He has offered guidance and inspiration in land rights campaigns, opening avenues for self-reliance through innovative projects and resource mobilization. As a lay worker of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Region, he has played a crucial role in advocating for the rights of marginalized communities. Since July 4, 2018, Gabales has been in Malaybalay City Jail on charges of attempted murder, murder, f rustrated murder, and kidnapping with serious illegal detention. The court has dismissed the majority of these charges and he continues to await the final dismissal of the remaining cases in Malaybalay City. Despite already enduring over five years in prison for his human rights work, his ordeal intensified when he, along with 15 others, faced 55 counts of financing terrorism in August 2022 before an I li gan City trial court. These recent nonbailable charges have subjected him to an extended period of incarceration.