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Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume 2, Number 33 September 22 - 28, 2002 Quezon City, Philippines |
Unity Statement Resume
Formal Peace Talks Now! We
are advocates of genuine peace, a lasting peace based on freedom, democracy and
social justice. We
want the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the
Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to resume and proceed in earnest.
We strongly call on the GRP and the
NDFP to immediately resume formal talks on the basis of The Hague Joint
Declaration of 1992 and other past agreements that have proven to be
workable and mutually acceptable. We
share their avowed common goals: “The resolution of the armed conflict and the
attainment of a just and lasting peace.” We believe that this can come about
only with basic social, economic and political reforms that
address the roots of the armed conflict and benefit the majority of the
people. We
strongly urge both Parties to immediately and fully implement the Comprehensive
Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law. This will
serve as a goodwill and confidence-building
measure, and mitigate the destruction and suffering directly and
indirectly brought about by war. We
deeply deplore the trend to abandon peace negotiations in favor of purely
military solutions. More than a
year has passed since the formal talks were recessed, and the Macapagal-Arroyo
government has indefinitely suspended these
formal talks last March. Even
as we condemn all forms of terrorism, we are gravely concerned that the
Macapagal-Arroyo government’s all-out support for the US “war on terror”
and its “all-out war” against the CPP-NPA-NDF will jeopardize the peace
negotiations. Both policies foreclose any hope of resolving the armed
conflict through peaceful means. We
decry what we perceive as US interference in our internal affairs.
We are troubled by possible US violations of Philippine sovereignty,
including increased US military presence and activity, and its threat to
unilaterally take punitive actions against alleged Filipino terrorists. We
ask the government to reconsider its official policy of welcoming the US
designation of the CPP-NPA-NDF as a terrorist organization, in view of its dire
effects on the peace negotiations. We
welcome the positive role of the Dutch, Belgian and Norwegian governments in
facilitating the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations. We urge them to continue
supporting these negotiations and to uphold the European Parliament
resolutions endorsing and supporting these negotiations. We
believe that the Filipino people shall decide their own destiny as a
nation and thereby attain their aspirations for a just and lasting peace.
List
of initial signatories: 1. His Excellency, Vice-President
Teofisto Guingona 2. Rep. Nerios Acosta ( 1st District,
Bukidnon) 3. Rep. Agapito Aquino (2nd District,
Makati) 4. Rep. Satur C. Ocampo (BAYAN MUNA
Party List) 5. Rep. Liza Maza (BAYAN MUNA Party
List) 6. Rep. Crispin Beltran (BAYAN MUNA
Party List) 7. Rep. Apolinario Lozada (5th District,
Negros >Occidental) 8. Rep. Florencio Abad (Lone District,
Batanes) 9. Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez (Bishop of
Iba, Zambales; Co-Chairperson, Ecumenical
Bishops Forum) 10. Bishop Ignacio Soliba (Prime Bishop, Episcopal
Church in the Philippines) 11. Bishop Mike Yamoyam (Episcopal Church in the
Philippines) 12. Bishop Leo Soriano (United Methodist Church-Davao
Episcopal Area) 13. Bishop Alan Ray Sarte (United Church of Christ in
the Philippines) 14. Former Senator Wigberto Tañada 15. Former Senate President Ernesto Maceda 16. Rev. Dr. Domingo Diel Jr. (Chairperson, National
Council of Churches in the Philippines) 17. Rev. Rebecca C. Tiston (Chairperson, United
Church of Christ in the Philippines) 18. Dr. Jose Abueva
(former President, University of the Philippines) 19. Dr. Jose Endriga (Vice President for Public
Affairs, University of the
Philippines) 20. Mr. Rey Casambre (Executive Director, Philippine
Peace Center) 21. Atty. Alexander Padilla 22. Maria Socorro Diokno (Executive Director, Free
Legal Assistance Group) 23. Ms. Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz-Duremdes (General Secretary,
National
Council of Churches in the Philippines) 24. Fr. Joe Dizon (KAIROS Philippines) 25. Dr. Carol Pagaduan-Araullo (BAYAN / Plunder
Watch) 26. Teddy Casiño (BAYAN) 27. Rafael Mariano (BAYAN, Kilusang Magbubukid
ng Pilipinas) 28. Sammy Malunes (Kilusang Mayo Uno) 29. Director Behn Cervantes (Concerned Artists
of the Philippines) 30. Prof. Bienvenido Lumbera (UP Diliman) 31. Prof. Cynthia Lumbera (Ateneo de Manila
University) 32. Dean Angelito Manalili (College of Social
Work and Community Development, UP Diliman) 33. Karen Tañada (Gaston Z. Ortigas Institute) 34. Pastor Boy Saycon (Council for Philippine
Affairs) 35. Maita Gomez 36. Linda Montayre 37. Fr. Tomas Maddela (Episcopal Church in the
Philippines) 38. Rev. Jepah Aniceto (Iglesia Evangelica
Methodista En Las Islas Filipinas) 39. Sr. Mary James Miyas, OSB 40. Sr. Ma. Rosali Fajardo, OSB 41. Post. Frances Sampal, OSB 42. Sr. Angelita Navarro, ICM 43 Sr. Ma. Editha Roa, RVM 44. Sr. Ma. Perla Balbastro, DC 45. Sr. Xavier Bual, SPC 46. Sr. M.T. Cristobal, FMA 47. Sr. Judy Vergara, SSJ 48. Sr. Arabella Balingao, RGS 49. Elisa Tita Lubi (GABRIELA) 50. Amado Gat Inciong 50. Dr. June Pagaduan-Lopez (College of
Medicine, UP Manila) 51. Prof. Ma. Milagros Laurel (University of
the Philippines) 52. Filomeno Sta. Ana III (Action for Economic
Reforms) 53. Fr. Charly Ricafort, OSC (Vice-Chairperson, Task Force on Urban Conscientization,
AMRSP Mission Partner) 54. Fr. Aristelo Miranda, OSC (Rector, Order of
St. Camillus Seminary) 55. Rommel Romato (Chairperson, UP Diliman
University Student Council) 56. Cosain Naga (Moro Christian People’s
Alliance) 57. Marie Hilao Enriquez (KARAPATAN) 58. Chikoy Pura (The Jerks, Musicians for
Peace) 59. Prof. Monico Atienza (UP Diliman) 60. Prof. Dante Ambrosio (UP Diliman) 61. Prof. Doroteo Abaya (UP Manila) 62. Prof. Elmer Ordoñez (IBON) 63. Dr. Cora Rivera (Plunder Watch) 64. Chit Agcaoili 65. Councilor Nathanael Santiago (Secretary
General, Bayan Muna) 66. Fr. Jerry Sabado, O’Carm 67. Fr. Allan Jose Arcebuche, OFM
(Spokesperson, Promotion of Church People’s
Response) 68. Amie Dural (Deputy Secretary, Promotion of
Church People’s Response) 69. Dr. Joseph Carabeo (Health Alliance for
Democracy) 70. Atty. Edre Olalia (Public Interest Law
Center) 71. Atty. Jayson Lamchek (Public Interest Law
Center) 72. Prof. Judy Taguiwalo (Congress of Teachers
for Nationalism and Democracy, UP
Diliman) 73. Prof. Danilo Arao (Congress of Teachers for
Nationalism and Democracy, UP Diliman) 74. Norma Dollaga (General Secretary,
Kapatirang Simbahan para sa Bayan) 75. Bayani Alonzo (Student Christian Movement
of the Philippines) 76. Biyaya Quizon (Kalipunan ng mga Kabataang
Kristyano sa Pilipinas) 77. Rex Lores (Representative of Sen. Loren
Legarda) 78. Julie Po (Concerned Artists of the
Philippines) 79. Roland Simbulan (Nuclear Free Philippines
Coalition) 80. Raul Segovia (CACP) 82. Manuel Sarmiento (Kilusang Mayo Uno) 83. Marie Hilao Enriquez (KARAPATAN) 84. Ferdinand Gaite (COURAGE) 85. Fides Lim (Bayan Muna)
and over 200 individuals representing the church, academe and multi-sectoral groups
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