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Philippine peace talks collapse

Church leaders urge both sides to reconsider, return to negotiating table
Philippine peace talks collapse

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte walks past honor guards while visiting troops in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao on Jan. 27. (Photo by Karl Norman Alonzo)

Published: February 07, 2017 07:27 AM GMT
Updated: February 07, 2017 09:30 AM GMT

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the arrest of rebel leaders following the collapse of peace negotiations aimed at ending almost five decades of communist insurgency.

The president made the order after both the government and the rebels lifted their respective unilateral ceasefires last week following a disagreement over the rebels' demand to free political prisoners.

Duterte announced on Feb. 3 that he was scrapping the peace talks and instructed government negotiators to "fold up their tents and come home."

The president terminated the talks following the eruption of violence in the southern part of the country that killed at least six soldiers. He said he gave the rebels "all the leeway" but they continued to commit atrocities.

"From now on I will consider the [communist factions] a terrorist group," said the president during a media briefing.

He said he has ordered the military to be on the lookout for rebel peace negotiators who were still in Europe. "You're wanted upon your arrival. I will arrest you and place you back in prison," said the president.

Lawyer Edre Olalia, legal counsel to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, said the government "cannot arrest" peace negotiators "on the mere say so" of the president.

"The peace negotiations have not been properly terminated," said Olalia, adding that termination would only take effect after 30 days from the receipt of a written notice as per an agreement signed by the two parties.

The country's communist insurgency started in the 1960s and is considered to be one of the longest in the world and is estimated to have already claimed as many as 40,000 lives.

 

Church appeals for reconsideration

Church leaders in the country appealed to the government and the rebels "to reassess and revisit the principal inspiration" of the negotiations.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the people "must be our primary motivation in pursuing peace not the two parties' dissimilarities or their interests."

The prelate expressed regret that the "positive benefits" of the peace talks "are now put on hold," adding that "many have been denied their future because of this war."

Bishop Pabillo appealed to the public to encourage both parties to "extend an olive branch." He said that he was optimistic that the government and the rebels would "soon go back to the talks."

"We just hope that it comes soon, and it should come without more bloodshed," said the prelate.

Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez of Marbel in the southern Philippines said the government should focus on addressing the root cause of the insurgency.

"If the situation of the poor was improved, groups like the New People's Army would have difficulty recruiting members," he said.

Solving the "economic, political and judicial" issues of the people and educating the public "to be more civic-minded" would help the peace process, he said.

Bishop Gutierrez said that he was not giving up on the talks although he understands Duterte's decision.

"It's almost impossible to dialogue with ideologues. Their ideology tends to absolutized, meaning its only my ideology that is correct and other ideologues are wrong," said the prelate.

Father Jerome Secillano of the public affairs office of the bishops said the talks "must have reached a level of disagreement that is simply too difficult to overcome."

"Individual principles should give way to the achievement of the common good," said the priest, adding that the government has at least "extended the olive branch to the other party."

"It is indeed the irony of our times that men seeking peace must make war," said Father Secillano.

Formal negotiations between the government and the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines reopened in Norway in August 2016.

Peace negotiations between the government and the rebels began in 1986 during the administration of former president Corazon Aquino. It was followed by nearly three decades of talks that ended in failure.

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