Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Karlos Isagani Zarate (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate on Monday said the suspension of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front is not yet final, and that there is still hope of resuming it.
In a press conference at the House of Representatives, Zarate said the聽Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig) signed by both parties provides protocols on the official termination of the peace talks.
搁贰础顿:听Palace: Peace talks halt 鈥榙eeply disappointing鈥�
Zarate said there is a 30-day notice in the Jasig for one party to issue a notice to another of the suspension or termination of peace talks which would only be effective 30 days after receipt of notice.
鈥淚t has to be emphasized that talks have not been terminated officially. While the President already said his reasons, under the Jasig, there are protocols or modalities before there is the official termination of talks,鈥� Zarate said.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte: No more peace talks with Reds without 鈥榗ompelling reason鈥櫬�
Zarate said he remains hopeful that the peace talks would resume and that the falling out between the government and the communists would be resolved during the fourth round of peace negotiations in the Netherlands from Feb. 22 to 25, when both parties are expected to discuss the bilateral ceasefire agreement.
Both parties have lifted their unilateral ceasefire ahead of the talks, with the New People鈥檚 Army taking the lead supposedly due to the government鈥檚 failure to fulfill its promise of releasing the political prisoners.
鈥淲hile the flicker of hope is not yet gone, it鈥檚 important for the people of goodwill to support that. Our people deserve no less than a just and peaceful society,鈥� Zarate said.
Zarate also would rather not comment on President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 scathing terrorist tag on the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), cautioning the parties not to add insult to injury.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to add a statement to further inflame the situation, (which is already) very critical and sensitive,鈥� said Zarate, who, like Duterte, hails from Mindanao.
Zarate also cautioned the police against re-arresting the NDF consultants and urged them to follow the court鈥檚 proceedings on their bail petitions, following Duterte鈥檚 call for the consultants to be re-arrested.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte orders arrest of NDF men, calls CPP-NPA a terrorist group鈥�
He confirmed that an NDF consultant Ariel Arbitrario was arrested at a checkpoint in Davao City on Monday. Zarate said Arbitrario is now being assisted by a lawyer while under custody. JE
搁贰础顿:听NDF consultant, NPA liason officer arrested in Davao