Medialdea’s inclusion in gov’t panel best gesture of peace – Bello
That President Duterte dispatched Executive Secretary Salvador
Medialdea to join the Philippine Government (GRP) panel could light the
flame for a possible rekindling of negotiations with Communist rebels
stunted months ago.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, GRP’s chief peace negotiator,
said it was the first time that an executive secretary, the right-hand
man of the President, had been named to the Philippine Peace Panel.
“You cannot get closer to an authority from the President than that,” said Bello, in a gathering Friday night with media men who covered the previous five rounds of the scuttled peace talks between the GRP and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
“The presence of ES Medialdea shows the President’ commitment, his resolve…Na kung pwede lang sana, sya na makipag-usap, sya na. (If he could be the one to talk to them, he would),” he said.
In the 51 years of the Communist urgency, efforts to strike a peace agreement had Bello at the middle of it all in the administration of Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Duterte. That’s roughly 33 years.
In fact, he’s been such an old hand at it that even Duterte has referred to him as a “communist.”
But this, time, Bello thinks that the peace process could finally move on beyond the obstacles posed by the Aquino, Ramos, and Arroyo administrations.
“It just goes to show you the President’s commitment to resolve this decades-long conflict is sincere, solid. Ayaw na talaga nya ito kasi, sabi nya, walang panalo sa mga panig. Nagpapatayan lang ang mga Pilipino (He really doesn’t like this. He said, nobody is really winning in this conflict where only fellow Filipinos die),” Bello said.
Bello also noted the unilateral and reciprocal ceasefires between the government and the Communist group has “been holding.”
And as such, he expects that both sides would “stand down” until the officials finally come to the negotiation table to discuss the peace agreement, and perhaps extend the ceasefire beyond January 7.
“We hope to go beyond that. Meet on January 6 for a possible schedule to agree on an Interim Peace Agreement, probably expand the duration of the ceasefire,” he said.
Bello pointed out that among the talking points that could be taken up on January 6 could be the possibility of Sison settling down face-to-face with Duterte for a meeting.
This early, Bello said it was going to “very difficult.”
“While both parties are willing to meet, it’s going to be difficult,” said Bello.
For starters, Sison would have to secure the permission of the government of The Netherlands, which had granted him political asylum, to leave the country, while assuring the Dutch that he will return.
“Medyo mahirap yun,” Bello said.
And granting that Sison would be allowed to leave The Netherlands, there would still be the factor that he is considered a “terrorist” by the United States. So outside of Dutch reach, he could be eliminated.
There were earlier reports that a Duterte-Sison meeting could be in the offing in Vietnam. But this did not fall through.
But another source in the peace negotiations hastened to qualify, “if there is going to be any meeting between Dutere and Sison, it’s going to be for the signing of a final peace agreement.”
Source: https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/12/28/medialdeas-inclusion-in-govt-panel-best-gesture-of-peace-bello/
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III
(ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
(ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“You cannot get closer to an authority from the President than that,” said Bello, in a gathering Friday night with media men who covered the previous five rounds of the scuttled peace talks between the GRP and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
“The presence of ES Medialdea shows the President’ commitment, his resolve…Na kung pwede lang sana, sya na makipag-usap, sya na. (If he could be the one to talk to them, he would),” he said.
In the 51 years of the Communist urgency, efforts to strike a peace agreement had Bello at the middle of it all in the administration of Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Duterte. That’s roughly 33 years.
In fact, he’s been such an old hand at it that even Duterte has referred to him as a “communist.”
But this, time, Bello thinks that the peace process could finally move on beyond the obstacles posed by the Aquino, Ramos, and Arroyo administrations.
“It just goes to show you the President’s commitment to resolve this decades-long conflict is sincere, solid. Ayaw na talaga nya ito kasi, sabi nya, walang panalo sa mga panig. Nagpapatayan lang ang mga Pilipino (He really doesn’t like this. He said, nobody is really winning in this conflict where only fellow Filipinos die),” Bello said.
Bello also noted the unilateral and reciprocal ceasefires between the government and the Communist group has “been holding.”
And as such, he expects that both sides would “stand down” until the officials finally come to the negotiation table to discuss the peace agreement, and perhaps extend the ceasefire beyond January 7.
“We hope to go beyond that. Meet on January 6 for a possible schedule to agree on an Interim Peace Agreement, probably expand the duration of the ceasefire,” he said.
Bello pointed out that among the talking points that could be taken up on January 6 could be the possibility of Sison settling down face-to-face with Duterte for a meeting.
This early, Bello said it was going to “very difficult.”
“While both parties are willing to meet, it’s going to be difficult,” said Bello.
For starters, Sison would have to secure the permission of the government of The Netherlands, which had granted him political asylum, to leave the country, while assuring the Dutch that he will return.
“Medyo mahirap yun,” Bello said.
And granting that Sison would be allowed to leave The Netherlands, there would still be the factor that he is considered a “terrorist” by the United States. So outside of Dutch reach, he could be eliminated.
There were earlier reports that a Duterte-Sison meeting could be in the offing in Vietnam. But this did not fall through.
But another source in the peace negotiations hastened to qualify, “if there is going to be any meeting between Dutere and Sison, it’s going to be for the signing of a final peace agreement.”
Source: https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/12/28/medialdeas-inclusion-in-govt-panel-best-gesture-of-peace-bello/
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