26 March 2020
ANTONIO GUTERRES
United Nations Secretary-General
UN Headquarters
Dear Mr. Secretary-General:
Greetings!
In behalf of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which represents 14 revolutionary organizations in the Philippines including the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), we express our deep appreciation for your statement acknowledging the declaration of temporary ceasefire by the CPP with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), in response to your call for a global ceasefire to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
As we have publicly manifested before, the revolutionary movement in the Philippines through the People’s Democratic Government in the municipalities, villages, communities and work places under its governance, has responded swiftly to the threat of Covid-19 and taken measures to ensure the people’s health, well-being and welfare.
We have also demonstrated time and again our willingness and sincerity to return to the negotiating table with the GRP to resume the peace talks and to find a long-lasting solution to the roots of the armed conflict in the Philippines.
And even as the GRP has unilaterally suspended the peace talks, we have continued to address the people’s concerns for meaningful social and economic reforms within our jurisdiction, capability and circumstances.
Rest assured that our revolutionary forces will remain in the frontlines, alongside our doctors, nurses, health workers and personnel, in the war against Covid-19 for the benefit of the Filipino people.
Wishing you the very best,
Fidel V. Agcaoili
Chairperson
NDFP Negotiating Panel
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PRESS RELEASE
NDFP Negotiating Panel
26 March 2020
NDFP welcomes acknowledgement of ceasefire by UN;
calls for immediate release of political prisoners
The Negotiating Panel of the NDFP extends its deep appreciation to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for acknowledging the declaration of temporary ceasefire by the Communist Party of the Philippines with the GRP in the light of the fight against COVID-19.
In his acknowledgement, Secretary-General Guterres stressed that the ceasefire declaration of the CPP serves as an example across the world as it faces the global threat of COVID-19.
NDFP Panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili stressed, in his letter to Guterres, that the People’s Democratic Government in the municipalities, villages, communities and work places under its governance, continues to respond to the threat of Covid-19 and to take measures to ensure the people’s health, well-being and welfare.
Agcaoili also told Guterres that the NDFP is willing to return to the negotiating table with the GRP to resume the peace talks and to find a long-lasting solution to the roots of the armed conflict in the Philippines, specifically to address the people’s concerns for meaningful social and economic reforms.
He assured the UN Secretary General that the revolutionary forces will remain in the frontlines, alongside Filipino doctors, nurses, health workers and personnel, in the war against Covid-19 for the benefit of the people.
Agcaoili also strongly acknowledged the statement of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, urging governments to release “every person detained without sufficient legal basis, including political prisoners and others detained simply for expressing critical or dissenting views”, and to protect the health and safety of people in detention and other closed facilities, as part of overall efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NDFP Peace Panel together with many human rights organizations have called for the immediate release of its NDFP consultants and other political prisoners especially the sick and elderly among them.#
For reference:
Fidel V. Agcaoili
Chairperson
NDFP Negotiating Panel
