Yearender: Peace with MILF, NPA still elusive

MANILA, Philippines – After almost two years in Malacañang, President Aquino’s efforts to end the armed conflict with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) have remained an elusive dream.

Some government officials blame the stalled peace process on the lack of sincerity from the MILF and NPA to negotiate a lasting peace.

The MILF had failed to show that the group is in full control of its own territories and field commanders. The NPA, the armed wing of the National Democratic Front-Communist Party of the Philippines, is taking a hard line position on their demand that government release so-called rebel consultants who are detained in various government jails before peace talks resume.

Rogue MILF commanders have attacked government forces in several areas in Mindanao despite the existing ceasefire agreement between the government and Muslim rebels.

MILF guerrillas killed 19 young Army soldiers and wounded 12 others in Al Barka, Basilan last Oct. 18. The soldiers were conducting an operation against local criminals when they were attacked by the rebels.

The nation was shocked by the attack that came after President Aquino had met MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim in a hotel in Tokyo, Japan last August.

Aquino, met Murad to jump start the peace talks with the MILF and the administration had also admitted the release of P5 million for the proposed Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI) that would train future leaders of the rebel group.

Marvic Leonen, chairman government peace panel with the MILF, explained that the rebels would use the P5 million solely for the BLMI and not to purchase weapons.

Leonen admitted handing over to Murad the money during the MILF-government panel formal exploratory talks from Aug. 22-23 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to establish the BLMI.

He said the P5 million is a commitment made by the previous administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita Deles also defended Malacañang’s release of P5 million to the MILF, saying that it was given to a duly registered body that was created in 2008 during the talks following an agreement between the government and the MILF.

Deles said the BLMI fund has been properly liquidated and its main purpose is to mold future leaders of the MILF to responsibly take over governance functions in their areas of jurisdiction.

‘Disservice’

Rep. Pastor Alcover of the party-list group Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) said the cash given to the MILF could be used as a basis for Aquino’s impeachment after the President committed a disservice to the Filipino people with utmost irresponsibility and disloyalty and gross manifestation of the inefficiency and lack of patriotism of his administration.

He said cash given to the MILF is a violation of Article VI Section 29(1) of the Constitution, which states that “no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law.”

Aside from the cash donation to the MILF, the government also released P31 million to the NPAs’ breakaway group, the Alex Bongcayao Brigade (ABB) for its livelihood and other aid to the communities where former insurgents and their families live.

Presidential deputy spokesperson Abegail Valte said the Aquino government is merely pursuing the agreement forged by the administration of former President Joseph Estrada in December 2000 with ABB.

Undersecretary Luisito Montalbo of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) explained that the P31 million came from the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA), a government program and framework for peace and development in conflict-affected areas.

Montalbo said the P31 million is part of PAMANA’s funds for 2011 amounting to P568 million.

Former President Estrada denied that his administration forged a deal to give a P31-million aid to the ABB.

Estrada’s former budget secretary Benjamin Diokno said the Aquino administration has the discretion to turn down or continue any government deal entered into by previous administrations.

Diokno also denied there was such a deal with the breakaway communist group during the Estrada administration.

Estrada’s former agrarian reform secretary Horacio Morales, who was active in the talks with the communist rebels, said that Estrada himself canceled concessions being considered by his administration.

Morales said Estrada turned down the concessions when, in spite of talks with the ABB through the efforts of business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., the ABB still engaged in criminal activities.

Release of consultants

Government peace negotiators and NDF officials were also debating over the communist rebels’ persistent call to the government to release all its alleged consultants still in government jails.

NDF chief peace negotiator Luis Jalandoni and peace panel member Fidel Agcaoili even called on the government last June 4 to defer the peace talks until the rebel consultants have been released.

Jalandoni and Agcaoili insisted that their jailed consultants are all covered and qualified under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the detainees should be released to enable them to meaningfully participate in the peace negotiations.

Communist party founding chairman and NDF consultant Jose Ma. Sison asked the Aquino administration to relieve Deles and cleanse the OPAPP of “military hawks, crooks and racketeers” to improve the peace process.

Sison, currently based in Utretch in the Netherlands, said the peace process between the government and NDF would likely be terminated if it will not remove Deles and the military hawks, crooks and racketeers in control of OPAPP.

He accused the present OPAPP leadership of undermining the Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 which stipulates the substantive agenda of human rights and international humanitarian law, socio-economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms and end of hostilities and disposition of forces.

Sison claimed Deles is conniving with the ABB and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), another NPA breakaway group, in its “racketeering activities.”

He also demanded the release of 350 political prisoners who have been tortured and imprisoned on trumped up charges of common crimes in violation of the CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law) that was completed in 1998, particularly the Hernandez political offense doctrine.

Sison also lambasted the Aquino government for supporting the “Oplan Bayanihan,” saying that it is a military offensive campaign masquerading as a peace and development campaign.

Jalandoni said the NDF also wants land reform to benefit the peasantry, who comprise 75 percent of the population of 94 million, and national industrialization to develop the backward agrarian economy and harness the country’s rich natural resources.

Aside from the erratic confidence-building measures, NPA fighters attacked a police station in Lianga, Surigao del Sur and a police station in Matibog, Bukidnon and took all their firearms in June.

The communist guerrillas also attacked in Tanay, Rizal where seven people were wounded.

No obligation

Alexander Padilla, government peace panel chairman with NDF, said the government has no obligation to release all the detainees being requested by the NDF.

Padilla said that under the JASIG, the release of detainees sought by NDF should be subjected to verification.

He said that the government is firm on its intent to pursue the peace talks.

He said the talks should be based on clear terms of commitment coming not just from the government but also from the side of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

“So far, there have been no pronouncements from the NDF that they are pursuing a true path to peace. It would seem that the peace process is being used only to take advantage of the government’s willingness to communicate with them and to get their jailed comrades released,” Padilla said.

He said, however, that the release of several political prisoners could be a strong confidence-building measure.

Padilla said the CPP-NPA-NDF should show sincerity in the peace process.

Padilla said he would resign from his post if the government failed to ink a peace agreement with the NDF-CPP-NPA in June next year.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said the people in Maguindanao and other parts of Mindanao have suffered due to the armed conflict between the government and the MILF.

“Maguindanao province has the most number of families that experienced loss of homes, loved ones and livelihood,” Mangungudadatu said.

Former President Estrada, who had launched an all out war against the MILF during his term, had advised Aquino to impose a deadline on all the peace negotiations with the MILF, NPA, and other anti-government forces.

Estrada said it is about time to give a timeframe and limit on the peace talks with the insurgents and secessionist movement.

“Give them a deadline,” Estrada said.

Deles had expressed confidence that all armed conflicts in the country would end within the term of President Aquino.

She said the government is sincere in its efforts to forge peace agreements with the MILF, NDF-CPP-NPA and other armed groups in the country.

Deles said the Aquino administration is committed to bring all internal armed conflict to a peaceful closure.

She cited the signing of a closure agreement between the government and the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA) in Malacañang that would help promote the development of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

“As we have repeatedly said, the Philippine government under the leadership of President Aquino has committed to the objective of bringing all Philippine internal armed conflict to a peaceful closure,” Deles said.

Deles said the long wait is over, adding that the closure agreement embodies six elements and these include: “community projects for identified communities, livelihood and employment support for CPLA members, sub-regional development projects, and legacy documentation.”

“The government, through OPAPP, has made progress in the different peace tables. Talks with the MILF are on track. And after a six-year impasse, we have revived the negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDFP),” Deles said. –Jose Rodel Calapano (The Philippine Star)