Manila open to renewed talks with communist rebels

Peace dialogue must focus on 'doable reforms'.

Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro on Sunday leads peace advocates in calling for the resumption of negotiations between the government and communist rebels

Davao City:  The Philippine government on Monday said it is open to renewed talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

Government peace adviser Teresita Deles made the statement in response to calls from religious groups on Sunday for the government and the rebels to go back to the negotiating table.

The Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform, the largest ecumenical network of various church leaders in the country, called on the government and the front "to return to the negotiating table to address the substantive issues that remain as the root cause of armed conflict in our country".

"Peace may be elusive, but it can be achieved if the parties [involved in] the conflict engage in principled negotiations," said Bishop Deogracias Iniguez of Kalookan, a platform member.

Deles told ucanews.com that the government is "willing to resume talks" but that they should be "agenda-bound and time-bound".

"We want talks that will prosper," she said.

The government signed a landmark deal with the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mindanao in March, but formal talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army, have stalled since 2011.

"We have discussed possibilities [with mediators]. If they will be able to find a way that will not be contradictory to our direction, then we can have talks," said Deles.

In a statement, rebel spokesman Luis Jalandoni blamed the government for the impasse. He said government negotiators refused to honor previous agreements on human rights, security and immunity guarantees entered into by both parties in the 1990s.

The impasse saw the suspension of the next substantive issue on the negotiating table, the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms.

Deles said the agenda for the talks should be on "doable reforms" because "peace talks are about political settlement" and it is important for people's concerns to be brought out during the negotiations.

The Philippines military estimates that the country's communist movement has about 4,000 armed men under its command, compared to more than 26,000 at its peak 30 years ago.

But the rebels still hold considerable sway in poor, rural areas where they receive material and moral support from a population that has endured the brunt of the Philippines' widening divide between rich and poor.

Source: ucanews.com