Resume peace talks

We welcome the recent adoption of House Resolution 1803 principally authored by Rep. Ruby Sahali (Lone District, Tawi-Tawi) and the Makabayan bloc urging President Rodrigo Duterte to allow the resumption of peace negotiations between the government peace panel (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF). The resolution also urged the completion of the comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms to lay the basis for a just and lasting peace.

As we laud this positive development, however, so are we appalled by statements coming from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) naming former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo and Philippine Peace Center Executive Director Rey Casambre as among those behind a “broad” alliance plotting to topple President Duterte

Both Ocampo and Casambre have not only consistently worked for the advancement of peace negotiations but have actually invaluably contributed, through the years, to discussions on socio-economic and political reforms. Both have had long histories of advocating for meaningful reforms in this country, demands that have long been the subject of widespread protests by the people and which continue to fuel the long-running armed conflict in the countrysides.

We fear that this red-tagging of Ocampo and Casambre is not only intended to sow fear among members of the broad coalition of organizations opposing President Duterte. It also lays down the groundwork for demonizing, and ultimately harming, known peace advocates in a desperate effort to crush any and all forms of resistance to the Duterte government, and thus pave the way for the establishment of a military-backed Duterte dictatorship.

This does not only have serious repercussions for any hopes of advancing the peace process. This forebodes ill for the fundamental freedoms of this country, when even the advocacy for peace becomes a basis for persecution under a government that has no serious desire for a just resolution to the civil war already raging for decades in this country. Kapayapaan Now