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Pamalakaya urges CBCP to make a stand on Esperon’s extension, four-months of bloody war against Reds

One of the groups opposed to the extension of the term of outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. today asked the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to make a stand against the extension and the Esperon’s plan to launch a bloody war against communist guerillas in the next four mounts.

The militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) personally appealed to CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo to issue a statement rebuking the term extension and Esperon’s all-out war against the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“Esperon’s declaration of all-out war is against the CBCP gospel calling for the resumption of peace talks between the government and communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines. While the Church is asking for peace, Mr. Esperon and Malacañang are talking of a renewed bloodbath,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The NDF leadership expressed willingness to revive the stalled talks, adding that conduct of informal exploratory talks with the Macapagal-Arroyo administration might pave way for the resumption of the peace talks. The communist peace negotiators proposed that the exploratory talks be held in Oslo, Norway, which is the third party facilitator in the peace talks between the government and the communist group.

As a third party resource group in the peace talks that provides inputs for both the government and the NDFP regarding the Comprehensive Agreement on Social Economic Reforms (CASER), Pamalakaya said the resumption of the peace talks is necessary so that the government and the NDFP could start discussing the socio-economic reforms, including the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill or House Bill 3059 filed by militant party list lawmakers in Congress led by Anakpawis party list Rep. Crispin Beltran.

“Esperon’s extension and his senseless and unjust military campaign in the next four months will spoil all the collective efforts seeking to revive the stalled peace talks between the government and the NDFP. Mr. Esperon is a major political obstacle in the peace process, that’s why it is important for the CBCP to denounce his extension and penchant for state terror to clear the smoke and lead the communist rebels back to the negotiating table,” Pamalakaya said.



Pamalakaya said there are 17 written bilateral agreements in connection with the peace talks signed by both parties. They are the Joint Hague Declaration (Sept.1, 1992), The Breukelen Joint Statement (June 14, 1994), the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Feb.24, 1995), the Joint Agreement on the Ground Rules of the Formal Meetings Between the GRP and the NDPF panels (Feb.26, 1995), the Agreement on Additional Implementing Rules Pertaining to the Documents of Identification (June 26, 1996), the Supplemental Agreement to the Joint Agreement on the Formation, Sequence and Operationalization of the Reciprocal Working Committees (March 18, 1997).

The Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (March 16, 1998), the agreement on the Additional Implementing Rules on JASIG pertaining to the Security of Personnel and Consultations in Furtherance of Peace Negotiations (March 16, 1998), the Joint Agreement in Support of Socioeconomic Projects of Private Development Organizations and Institutes (March 16, 1998) and the Joint Statement on the Resumption of Peace Talks (March 9, 2001).

The other agreements were the Joint Agreement on the Formation, Sequence and Operationalization of the Reciprocal Working Committees of the GRP and the NDFP Negotiating Panels (June 26, 1995), the Oslo Joint Communiqué (April 30, 2001), the Oslo Joint Statement (Feb.14, 2004), the Second Oslo Joint Statement (April 3, 2004) and the Partial Supplemental Guidelines for the Joint Monitoring Committee (June 25, 2004).

“If Malacañang is really heeding the Church’s call for peace it should honor all these bilateral agreements and quit from imposing preconditions that would keep the NDFP away from the negotiating table,” Pamalakaya said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:29 | link | comments (2) |

Comments:

#1  05 August 2008 - 15:39

 

Hi! Do you have a copy of the HB03059 or the genuine agrarian reform bill? I need a copy for the matter loading of our debate. I'd be very thankful if you can share a copy or tell us where can we possibly get one. I'm afraid they don't have a copy at the congress website.

Anonymous

#2  06 August 2008 - 00:43

 

Hi there sheila of UP. Please let us know where we can send you hard copy of HB305, plus the lengthy discussion we had GARB/HB 3059 and why it is superior to CARP extension, and our critique why CARP and its extension is nothing but a continuing nightmare and deserves the wrath of heaven

GerryCorpuz

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