In a live web conference addressing members of umbrella organization Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) held in Quezon City on May 17, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison expressed optimism in the resumption of the stalled peace negotiations under the incoming Duterte administration.
Rodrigo Duterte, Mayor of Davao City, is the imminent winner of the presidential race via a landslide victory, with 15.7 million votes counting.
Sison said that Duterte expressed willingness in releasing all political prisoners.
According to human rights group Karapatan, there are at least 543 political prisoners, 18 of which are NDFP consultants. Of the 543, 88 are ailing and 48 are elderly.
“He could be daring like past presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos,” said Sison.
In 1986, Corazon Aquino freed and granted amnesty to hundreds of political detainees jailed during the Marcos dictatorship.
“Why should he be so guarded and cautious?…It is also a possibility for Duterte to immediately release half of all political prisoners, prioritizing the women, sick and elderly, and the other half could be released upon signing of a mutual ceasefire,” said Sison.
Presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte is eyeing former justice secretary Sylvestre Bello III as chief negotiator with the NDFP. Duterte also said that he will appoint Jesus Dureza as presidential peace adviser.
Dureza was once appointed Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process during the Arroyo administration.
Bello was involved in the peace process from Cory Aquino’s term up until the Arroyo administration.
It was during Bello’s term as government chief negotiator that major agreements between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and NDFP took place.
One of two landmark agreements include The Hague Declaration that set the four substantive agendas for the peace talks between the GPH and the NDFP include: human rights, socio-economic reforms, political reforms and end of hostilities and disposition of forces. The Hague Declaration laid down the framework and basis to resolve the armed conflict.
The Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) was also signed in 1998 by the two parties, clinching the first out of four substantive agendas. The CARHRIHL signified that both the GPH and NDFP would be held accountable for their respective human rights records and conduct in the armed conflict.
The peace talks under the Aquino administration did not prosper and negotiations were halted in 2011.
Prospects of coming home
Jose Maria Sison, founding Chairperson of the reestablished Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in 1968, has been exile in the Netherlands after peace negotiations in the Philippines was stalled in 1987, under the newly-seated Cory Aquino government.
Sison said that he would come home to the Philippines if a certain level of development in the peace negotiations have been met.
“Kapag pinalaya na lahat ng political prisoners at nagkaroon ng mutual ceasefire, puwede na akong pumunta sa Pilipinas (If all political prisoners are released and a mutual ceasefire is in place, I could go back to the Philippines),” said Sison.
Sison also urged the progressive mass movement to be critical and vigilant of the Duterte administration.
“Policies that are detrimental to the people should be opposed,” said Sison.
BAYAN was in cross swords with Duterte’s transition team recently. BAYAN criticized the 8-point economic agenda proposed by Duterte’s economic team recently, stating that the agenda is a ‘continuation of the neo-liberal poison imposed on the people by the Aquino regime.’ Duterte campaign spokesperson Peter Tiu Lavina hit the left ‘for making mistakes in the past and for supporting a losing candidate.’
BAYAN submitted a counter-proposal 8-point agenda stressing the need for a nationalist and pro-people economic program.
Rights group Karapatan also criticized presumptive president Duterte’s move to appoint Lieutenant General Ricardo Visaya as chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
According to a statement by Karapatan, Visaya was the ground commander during the 2004 Hacienda Luisita massacre where seven farmers where killed.
The statement further added that he was promoted as 4th Infantry Division Commanding General, the unit responsible for killing and forcible evacuation of farmers and Lumad in Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions.
“Unlike previous administrations, communication lines are open with the incoming Duterte administration,” added Sison.
On Monday, May 16, Duterte offered four vacant cabinet positions to the Communist Party of Philippines, namely the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Environment and National Resources and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Sison welcomed the move, saying that the gesture is unprecedented and a sign of goodwill in behalf of Duterte.
“He was very statesman-like in his offer of Cabinet positions,” said Sison.
In an interview by Inquirer, Sison clarified that “No official, member or expert of the CPP and NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) can join the Duterte Cabinet while the peace negotiations have not yet come to a happy and successful conclusion.”
However, Sison said in the live web conference that the brightest and most qualified individuals belonging to the progressive movement could submit their letter of intent to serve along with their resume, to fill the vacant positions in the Duterte cabinet.
Sison spoke highly of Duterte, noting that “he is outstanding amongst politicians in taking pride with having ties with the Left.”
“He is the only Filipino president I know who is proud to call himself socialist,” added Sison.
Duterte was a former student of Sison in Political Thought at the Lyceum of the Philippines (now Lyceum of the Philippines University).
Duterte was also a member of Kabataang Makabayan, a radical youth organization founded by Sison in 1964.
