The Philippine Army will follow the national policy of suspension of military operations if the government resumes talking peace with the communist rebels. It can be recalled that the government’s preliminary talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) did not push through because there was no ample time to prepare and push with the preliminary talks with the NDF in Oslo, Norway which the communist movement scheduled in Sept. 2009.
Major General Vicente Porto, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division based in Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz, projected that there will be policies that will impact on their programs once the government pushes the peace process with the NDF.
According to Maj Gen Porto, "No suspension of military operations has been declared yet for the coming holiday season since peace talks were stalled between the GRP and the CPP-NPA-NDF. Therefore, the army contingent will continue performing its combat and civil-military operations in Western Visayas.
In fact, the army is more emboldened to push for development projects through civil-military operations in many peaceful areas and even more so in terrorized com-munities. With regards to the impending peace talks all agreed that the sincerity of both parties is important for the peace process to prosper. The military has already lifted the JASIG as a sign of its sincerity in pursuing a lasting peace but it has yet to see the NDF reciprocate."
"They must clearly state the real names of their leaders who will be afforded with the provisions of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and not just through their aliases, if they are truly sincere to talk peace," Porto pointed out.
The Army is anticipating that through the JASIG, the communists would likely ask for the release of their leaders in custody by government forces in many areas of the country. With the peace process, the military will be taking a defensive posture. It therefore continues to urge our prodigal brothers to renounce the armed struggle and give peace a chance to be realized through dialogue. /MP
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