The Philippine Government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) signed on Wednesday an Agreement on an Interim Joint Ceasefire (AIJC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands that will move peace negotiations significantly closer to resolving 48 years of armed conflict in the Philippines.

TRUCE DEAL SIGNED - Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza (right) and National Democratic Front (NDF) Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison exchange copies of the Agreement on an Interim Joint Ceasefire that was signed April 5 in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. (Credits: Rocky Nazareno | Manila Bulletin)

TRUCE DEAL SIGNED – Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza (right) and National Democratic Front (NDF) Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison exchange copies of the Agreement on an Interim Joint Ceasefire that was signed April 5 in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. (Credits: Rocky Nazareno | Manila Bulletin)

The historic deal was signed after 31 years of peace negotiations between the GRP and NDF that span the terms of six Presidents since former President Corazon C. Aquino initiated talks with the Communists in 1986.

Leading the signing for the GRP was Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza and for the NDF, its Chief Political Consultant and founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Jose Maria Sison. It was witnessed by the Third Party Facilitator Royal Norwegian Government (RNG) Special Envoy to the Philippine Peace Process Ambassador Elisabeth Sluttom.

But what put a damper on the signing of the AIJC was the clarification made by both sides that the deal will not actually stop fighting on the ground.

“There is no de facto ceasefire yet. This is an agreement to work for a permanent ceasefire,” said Dureza.

NDF Peace Panel Chairman Fidel Agcaoili admitted that “it was an agreement to agree on the guidelines” that will lead to the full implementation of the truce.

The AIJC effectively addressed the four conditions set by President Rodrigo Duterte before the government could agree to such a truce deal.

These included his demands for the insurgents to stop collecting revolutionary tax, for them to stop hostile acts, to release captured government security personnel, and refrain from making any territorial claims anywhere in the country.

Simply put, the AIJC will be the general agreement on the ceasefire, while awaiting the approval of the so-called “annexes” that will tackle Duterte’s four conditions.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Rocky Nazareno

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