Press Release
19 December 2012
Luis Jalandoni, Chairperson of the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), expressed appreciation for the first meeting of the Special Representatives of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the NDFP in The Hague on December 17 and 18, 2012.
The Royal Norwegian Government hosted and facilitated the meeting.
The GPH and NDFP Special Representatives agreed to carry on the discussions on common declaration of national unity and just peace; further upholding national independence, democracy and human rights; committee of national unity, peace and development; agrarian reform, rural development and national industrialization; and truce.
They agreed to recommend to their respective principals the holding of a nationwide ceasefire from midnight of December 20, 2012 to midnight of January 15, 2013. The ceasefire additionally gives due consideration to the relief and rehabilitation of the victims and communities devastated by super typhoon Pablo.
During the meeting, the Special Representatives of the NDFP declared that political prisoners and detainees must be released in order to improve the climate for the work of the GPH and NDFP Negotiating Panels and to help facilitate the progress of the peace negotiations.
Luis Jalandoni warned that the failure to investigate the disappearance and killings of the NDFP consultants and to release NDFP consultants and other political prisoners in accordance with the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the Comprehensive Agreement for Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) can adversely affect both the regular track and the special track of the peace negotiations.
The GPH and NDFP Special Representatives agreed to meet again sometime early next year.
The GPH Special Representatives were Secretary Ronald Llamas, Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs, GPH Negotiating Panel Chairperson Alexander Padilla, Efren Moncupa, GPH Panel Member, Undersecretary Chito Gascon (OPAPA) and Director Maria Carla Munsayac-Villarta, GPH Panel Secretariat Head.
The NDFP Special Representatives were Prof. Jose Maria Sison, Founding Chairman of the CPP, NDFP Negotiating Panel Chairperson Luis Jalandoni, Fidel Agcaoili and Coni Ledesma, NDFP Panel Members. They were assisted by Vicente Ladlad, Political Consultant, Edre U. Olalia, Legal Consultant, Ruth de Leon, NDFP Panel Secretariat Head and Rosario Agcaoili, staff.
The Royal Norwegian Government as facilitator was represented by Ambassador Ture Lundh who was accompanied by Sverre Johan Kvale and Linn Kaja Rogstad.