Talks stopped again

THE peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) are in jeopardy again following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for government negotiators to suspend the talks until the rebels “stop engaging the military in Mindanao.” It’s the latest twist in the on again, off again process.

The move is actually deceptive because it failed to consider the other side of the issue. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has also been issuing statements about how the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been conducting operations on their forces and territories especially in Mindanao, which is currently under military rule following the Maute Group’s siege on Marawi City.

Coincidentally, an encounter between elements of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and a New People’s Army (NPA) unit broke out in Arakan, Cotabato on the same day the suspension of the talks was announced, injuring four soldiers. How the encounter was reported illustrates the difficulty of finding objectivity in the current situation. Interpre- tation of incidents can be muddled by subjective views.

The incident in Cotabato was not a planned attack by communist rebels on the PSG elements, who were aboard two non-military vehicles. Neither was it an ambush. The operative word was “encounter.”

According to the narration by the PSG chief, Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy, the rebels, clad in Army uniforms, set up a checkpoint in the area when the PSG elements approached. Realizing that the people conducting the checkpoints were not government troops, the PSG elements sped up, prompting the rebels to fire. “Hindi naman ambush. Checkpoint lang yun na ginawa ng mga NPA, tapos nahalata ng sundalo namin,” Dagoy said.

Also missed in the discussion on the President’s order to suspend the talks is the fact that no bilateral ceasefire has been signed by the two sides. Which means that both the GRP and the NDF cannot, technically, be accused of violating anything if they launch attacks on each other’s forces. Without the bilateral ceasefire, no rules are in place to guide the action of both armed forces.

Also, no unilateral ceasefire has even been declared by either of the two sides. That means the AFP can continue launching operations on rebel forces and the latter can continue waging war on the former.

I think both the GRP and NDF panels understand that. The setup may be awkward but the reality is that the talks can continue even as armed encounters break out from time to time on the field.

I understand that before the President ordered the suspension of the talks, both panels already set for next month the signing of the bilateral ceasefire pact. That may not happen if the talks remain suspended. I find this unfortunate because after this the two panels are supposed to proceed to the substantive phase of the negotiations, the comprehensive agreement on social and economic reforms (Caser).

NDF peace panel chair Fidel Agcaoili calls the Caser the “heart and soul” of the peace talks. It should be on Caser that the peace process should rise or fall, not on the ceasefire agreement. SunStar Cebu