“The Aquino regime has emerged as the worst violator of the Jasig by harassing Jalandoni with an invalid and improperly served subpoena and threatening to arrest and imprison him on trumped up charges of non-bailable common crimes.”
“Despite these and in the absence of formal notice of termination (of negotiations) from the GPH, the NDFP remains open to the resumption of talks if the GPH shows willingness to comply with its obligations under the agreements.” – Luis Jalandoni, NDFP
“The very reason that drove Mary Jane Veloso away was economic difficulties, the dream of a better life. All the more there is a need to resume the peace talks so that both panels can proceed with the discussion on socio-economic reforms.”
“If the Aquino administration has the political will, peace talks with the NDFP could move forward.”
“We join you in spreading and living the message of St. Francis that there can only be lasting peace here on earth if there is social justice, equity and freedom.” – Kapayapaan By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – It has been more than three years since formal peace talks between the Government of the…
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat perspective Bulatlat.com Squeezed between President Aquino’s belligerent speech against the Supreme Court’s decision declaring his and Budget Sec. Florencio “Butch” Abad’s pet program the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the equally destructive Typhoon Glenda was an important event: the launching of Kapayapaan, a campaign for a just and lasting peace. Why…
“He had always known the issues that would arise, whether pastoral or otherwise, because his ministry grew out of the deep well of engagement with the lives of the people.”
“Instead of respecting the agreements it signed with the NDFP, this government is instead preoccupied in emasculating each one.” – Roy Erecre, NDFP consultant, political prisoner
“The reactionary government is only after a ceasefire while the revolutionary movement treats ceasefire as a result of substantive agreements. The reactionary government only wants a ceasefire because it does not want to address the fundamental roots of the armed conflict.” – Benito Tiamzon
The NDFP believes that genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization are key measures in addressing the roots of the armed conflict, but the GPH refuses to discuss these saying that climate change is the country’s biggest problem.
How could the peace talks between the GPH and the NDFP proceed? Bulatlat.com’s editor Benjie Oliveros and Rey Casambre, executive director of the Philippine Peace Center and one of the convenors of the Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform, discusses about this and more.