By Sonny Mallari,
Correspondent,
Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/566305/with-npas-strength-peace-talks-an-option-for-next-president-sison?ModPagespeed=noscript
SM: Wala na bang pagasa ang resumption ng peace nego under Noynoy administration?
JMS: The NDFP policy is to negotiate with the GPH in accordance with The Hague Joint Dexcalaration, Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees, the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law and other agreements. The Aquino regime is responsible for paralyzing the peace negotiations by refusing to comply with these agreements.
SM: Kung talagang hopeless, ibig sabihin ay three years pang maghihintay ang mga Pilipino para muling mabuksan ang peace talks at ito ay KUNG interesado ang papalit sa kanyang presidente.
JMS: The Aquino regime is responsible for blocking the peace negotiations and is in contempt of the people who desire a just and lasting peace. In fact, the Aquino regime announced last April 2013 that it had already terminated the peace negotiations. Please look at the pertinent back issue of your newspaper. The NDFP does not take responsibility for the decision of the current or next president of the GPH to resume the peace negotiations or not.
SM: Kung bukas ang presidential election at malamang maski sa 2016, dalawa lang ang posibleng maglaban – Jojo Binay and Mar Roxas. Sa pananaw mo as peace consultant ng NDFP, sino sa dalawang ito ang may malaking chance na mabuksan ang usapan at magtagumpay ito? Kung si Jojo, ano ang basehan ninyo? Kung si Mar, ano rin ang basehan ninyo?
JMS: As chief political consultant of the NDFP in peace negotiations, I am not in the business or game of publicly estimating or predicting who is the next GPH president. Whoever is the next president, he or she will consider peace negotiations as an option in the face of the worsening social and political crisis and the growing strength of the people’s armed revolutionary movement for national liberation and democracy.
SM: Sa MINIMUM, ano ang demands ng NDFP sa GRP para muli kayong bumalik sa usapan?
JMS: It is the Aquino regime that has run away from peace negotiations. The NDFP can resume peace negotiations even with the Aquino regime if it shows respect for and comply with existing agreements. The agreements require that the GPH fulfill its obligations regarding the substantive agenda of the negotiations, the safety and immunity guarantees for NDFP peace consultants and the release of political prisoners falsely accused of common crimes. These are not unilateral demands or preconditions by the NDFP. They are obligations of the GPH stipulated by agreements between the GPH and NDFP.
SM: Sa kabilang parte po, kung sakaling ibigay naman ng GRP ang inyong demands, ano naman ang ibibigay na kapalit ng NDFP-CPP-NPA?
JMS: The NDFP is not asking for anything outside of the existing agreements and is not offering anything outside of the same agreements, which have been mutually approved and signed. You or anyone else should not make it appear that the NDFP is begging for any favor from a reactionary government that refuses to fulfill its obligations and dishonors its own signature on solemnly made agreements.
