Mar 232014
 
The government peace panel on Sunday reiterated there was nothing illegal in the arrest of two alleged leaders of the Communist Party-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front in Cebu on Saturday afternoon. 

“The NDF represented by Mr. Luis Jalandoni has protested that the arrest is illegal since both Wilma and Benito are covered by JASIG (Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees). The GPH panel believes otherwise. There has been no violation of the JASIG in these cases,” it said in a statement. 

Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda also explained that since the identities of NDF leaders and consultants covered by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees has been inaccessible due to a corrupted diskette, it is no longer operative.

“Hindi po operative ang JASIG po ngayon dahil nga po hindi ho mabuksan ‘yung files. Matatandaan po ninyo, nasabi na rin po ‘nung binubuksan po ‘yung files ay hindi ho nila mabuksan. Sila po ang nagbigay ng listahan ng JASIG list po. It’s in a diskette, it can no longer be decrypted, so it was not our fault,” Lacierda said in an interview aired over state-run dzRB.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process explained that since the names of those on the JASIG list are unknown at the moment, it cannot be verified if Benito Tiamzon was indeed on the list.

“The NDF and the GPH agreed to a procedure in July 2011 to verify the true identities of several dozen alleged NDF consultants in the list of JASIG–protected individuals carrying aliases. But through no fault of government, the NDF failed to open their own files that purportedly contained the photos and true identities of the said NDF consultants.  This failure had the effect of rendering the JASIG inoperative for those using aliases and those who are not directly involved in the peace process.  If indeed Benito Tiamzon was listed under an alias, he is no longer covered by the JASIG,” they said.

The OPAPP added that the NPA claim that the Tiamzons are protected by the JASIG while failing to produce the said list was “ridiculous.”

“To sustain their claim to JASIG protection is ridiculous because that would mean they can wage war and violence against government and when caught, claim JASIG protection and expect to be released. It is even more outrageous considering that the peace negotiations have not moved for over a year now. And while we continue to be open to the resumption of the talks, last December, the CPP called for the overthrow of the Aquino government, saying they will just wait for a new administration before they go back to the table,” the OPAPP said.

Formal talks with the NDF have been stalled for more than two years, due to the CPP-NPA’s failure to submit an official list of names of negotiators covered by immunity.
 
The JASIG, signed on Feb. 24, 1995, provides immunity to rebels who are participating in the talks.

Meanwhile, human rights group Karapatan hit the arrest of the Tiamzon couple, saying it was a “kick in the bucket of peace.”

“This is another case of the government’s deceit in dealing with [its] counterparts in the peace negotiations. The GPH completely ignored previously signed agreements with the NDFP, especially the JASIG,” Karapatan said.
 
“This is not the first time. In fact, there are 12 NDF peace consultants who are in jail because of trumped-up criminal charges. Also, there are 10 NDF consultants who are victims of enforced disappearance,” said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay. Patricia Denise Chiu/JDS, GMA News

Jun 252013
 
Padilla set to leave post as govt chief negotiator in talks with NDF

The government’s chief negotiator with the communist-led National Democratic Front (NDF) is set to leave his post after he was nominated as head of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). Alexander Padilla, who chairs the government peace panel with the NDF, said Tuesday that while he has not formally resigned from his post, he will only stay with the panel until the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) finds his replacement. “I’m in transition. That’s based on the premise that there’s an impasse. Meron pa akong reports na kailangang isubmit,” Padilla said in a phone interview. He added that he wanted to focus more on his new job as PhilHealth president and chief executive officer. In a separate text message, presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles said Padilla’s decision did “not come as a surprise,” since the peace panel chair has long notified her about his plans to leave the panel. “We have agreed that he [Padilla] will stay on to ensure a smooth transition. The rest of the panel remains in place and the work continues to proceed,” Deles said. Last April, Padilla announced that the Philippine government will no longer return to the negotiating table with the NDF, saying that the talks were “going nowhere” after a 22-month impasse. NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni, for his part, said that it was the Aquino administration, not the communist-led group, which “dimmed” the prospects of peace due to the government’s supposed refusal to hold its end up Read More …

Jun 182013
 
After ending formal peace talks, govt chief negotiator with NDF nominated as PhilHealth head

President Benigno Aquino III has nominated the government’s chief negotiator with the National Democratic Front (NDF) as head of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), two months after talks with the communist-led group were formally ended. Aquino approved the nomination of Alexander Padilla, who serves both as government chief negotiator and PhilHealth chief operating officer, as the corporation’s president and chief executive officer last week, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte announced at a press briefing Tuesday. Padilla has also been appointed to the Philhealth’s board of directors, she added. But Valte said that Padilla’s nomination to the PhilHealth does not mean that the government is no longer interested in talks with communist rebels. “We have always been open to talks with the NDF. Matagal na pong may mga ginagawang magkasabay si Usec. Padilla. The idea to divide out his work is not novel,” Valte told reporters. “There should be no problem with this appointment. His [Padilla’s] records show that he could do different tasks,” she added. Only last April, Padilla announced that the Philippine government will no longer return to the negotiating table with the NDF, saying that the talks were “going nowhere.” NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni, for his part, said that it was the Aquino administration, not the communist-led group, which “dimmed” the prospects of peace due to the government’s supposed refusal to hold its end up on agreements signed by both parties decades ago. The armed struggle being pursued by the NDF in the Philippines, through its Read More …