Jalandoni: Peace talks to build on past achievements, lessons

With the announcement of the signed joint statement with the Philippine government for the resumption of peace talks, the National Democratic Front expressed hope the peace process will provide fundamental reforms for the interest and benefit of the Filipino people.  

In a press conference in the Netherlands on Tuesday, NDFP National Executive Council panel member Luis Jalandoni stressed how they are “open and willing to talk to the GRP” as long as it is for the Filipino people. 

“With the aim of both achieving relevant socioeconomic and political reforms towards a just and lasting peace for our people, hence, after a long hiatus, the parties will again formally go back to the negotiating table even as we build on past achievements and learn from previous lessons alike,” he said. 

He said the group would bring a bilateral nature to the negotiations, reaffirm binding agreements, and negotiate on principles that would be mutually acceptable to both parties. 

“We should earnestly pursue substantive agenda that can provide concrete benefits for the people, keeping in mind always that the roots of the armed conflict must be resolved,” Jalandoni said. 

He also mentioned the removal of impediments that are “incompatible with the aims and purposes of peace negotiations.”  

“The road to a long and lasting peace is long. The journey will be challenging, the final destination will not be easy to reach. But we have to traverse that path because the people want and deserve it,” he said. 

“So with this joint statement, we shall come back to the negotiating table with renewed impetus yet with guarded hope that the peace process can provide an important root for fundamental reforms for the interest and benefit of our people,” the panel member added. 

The NDFP said the signed a joint communique contains both parties' acknowledgment to continue addressing the root cause of the armed struggle.

Jalandoni stressed that the joint communique only signals the resumption of the formal peace negotiations but is not yet the actual resumption of the formal talks.

"We hope that the needs of the Filipino people will be uppermost in our upcoming deliberations," he added.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) extended its all-out support for the signing of the Oslo Joint Statement.

“There are peace talks because there is war. The NDFP and GRP are co-belligerents in the civil war in the Philippines. They are adversaries and represent diametrically opposed interests and objectives, but who come to the table under the declared aim of achieving a just and lasting peace,” CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said in a statement. 

However, Valbuena said in order to allow the peace negotiations to move forward, Marcos has a “distinct responsibility to take the initiative to sweep away the Duterte-period thorns and spikes which litter it.”

He said the Marcos administration must:

• release of  NDFP peace consultants, allowing them to take part in the discussions and negotiations; 
• rescind the "terrorist designation" of the NDFP, Luis Jalandoni, the CPP, the NPA, and other personnel of the NDFP.
• dismantle the National Task Force (NTF)-Elcac, cause the repeal of the Anti-Terror Law, order the AFP to withdraw armed soldiers conducting "localized peace negotiations" and "community support.”
• release of more than 800 political prisoners.

—AOL, GMA Integrated News