Arrest of 3 NDFP consultants meant to spoil peace talks

BAGUIO CITY — The negotiating panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) claimed that the arrest of three of their consultants by government security forces was deliberate and are meant to “create hostile conditions to obstruct the peace negotiations.”

The arrests of NDFP consultants Simon Fiaryao Naogsan, Sr., Porferio Tuna, Jr., and Wigberto Villarico, the NDFP negotiating panel on Monday said in a statement, “undermine the peace process and violates the basic principles of mutual respect and accountability.”

“These consultants have dedicated their lives to representing the Filipino people’s interests and are integral in the resumption of peace negotiations.”   

Their arrest, it added, “serve only to foster growing distrust and heightened tensions at a time when space for dialogue is critical.”

The NDFP negotiating panel stressed that the arrest of the three consultants “is yet another in a string of blatant violations by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), signed to provide both parties to the negotiations the conducive conditions to engage without the threat of arrest, killing or harassment.”

The NDFP panel rebuked National Security Council Spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya’s declaration that JASIG is no longer in effect, saying “(the) effectivity of these agreements cannot be simply rescinded through a mere press conference or media statement.”

The NDFP panel insisted that “such agreements are the product of formal negotiations and mutual commitment, rooted in both national and international legal principles, and cannot be undone unilaterally or casually.”   

The termination of an agreement like JASIG requires formal procedures as stipulated in the document signed by both parties in 1995, the NDFP panel added.

Mr. Malaya’s declaration that Mr. Villarico is not an NDFP consultant was also refuted by the NDFP Panel, saying, “in fact, Wigberto Villarico is an NDFP consultant, regularly engaged by the NDFP Negotiating Panel as a key representative from the Southern Tagalog region.  His role is crucial in representing concerns of farmers and workers in the region and in advancing the substantive items in the negotiations including in the process of drafting the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms.”

The NDFP Panel also denounced how NDFP consultants and negotiators “(are) repeatedly subjected to arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and torture,” thus, leading them to believe, “the GRP has made a mockery of its own supposed commitment to peace.”

While the NDFP Panel reiterated its openness to resume negotiations, it said “how can we possibly engage in meaningful negotiations when our negotiators and consultants are subjected to arrests, killings, and torture.”   

“This issue is both a practical and political obstacle to the ongoing talks, as it threatens not only the safety of the NDFP consultants, negotiators and staff but also undermines the very foundation of trust and dialogue necessary for any productive peace negotiation to continue,” Julie de Lima, NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson said. — Artemio A. Dumlao