DND's Teodoro: No formal talks yet with NDFP

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. clarified Friday that there is no formal peace talks yet with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

In a television interview, Teodoro said that the joint communique signed in Oslo on November 23 with the NDFP, which adverted to the need to "unite as a nation" amid socioeconomic and environmental issues, and "foreign security threats, was an agreement for “exploratory talks.”

“Not yet peace talks, for which because, as I understand it, there was a request by the NDF to a negotiator that they were willing to give up the armed struggle and why not meet?” Teodoro said.

“There are no formalized peace talks and we have to see first what the conditions are for talks to continue. So much so that the activities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the PNP, and the NTF-ELCAC will continue,” he later added.

For the DND chief, there is no harm in listening to the offer.

“We have entered into several so-called peace agreements before. I think the government is well aware of the lessons learned there and is not going to repeat the same things that have happened in the past,” Teodoro said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier granted amnesty to rebels, including former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

According to Presidential Communications Office, amnesty is granted to former CPP-NPA-NDF members, or their front organizations that committed crimes whether punishable under the Revised Penal Code or special penal laws, including but not limited to rebellion or insurrection; conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion or insurrection; disloyalty of public officers or employees; inciting to rebellion or insurrection; sedition; conspiracy to commit sedition; and inciting to sedition.

Other offenses also include illegal assembly; illegal association; direct assault; indirect assault; resistance and disobedience to a person in authority or the agents of such person; tumults and other disturbances of public order; unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances; alarms and scandals; illegal possession of firearms, ammunition or explosives, provided that these crimes or offense were committed in furtherance of, incident to, or in connection with the crimes of rebellion or insurrection.

Also covered are those charged, detained or convicted of common crimes but who can establish by substantial evidence that they have actually committed said crimes in pursuit of political beliefs.

However, the amnesty under the new proclamations does not cover the offenses of kidnap for ransom, massacre, rape, terrorism, crimes committed against chastity, and illegal drugs.

Other exceptions are grave violations of the Geneva Convention of 1949, genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture, enforced disappearances, and other gross violations of human rights.

The amnesty, however, needs the concurrence of a majority of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Article VII, Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution states that the President has "the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all the Members of the Congress." — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA Integrated News