Malacanang hopes to seal peace agreement with CPP-NPA-NDF during Aquino’s watch

MALACAÑANG on Thursday expressed hope it can seal a peace agreement with the
Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-
NPA-NDF) during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, stressing its importance
in the country’s journey towards lasting peace and genuine development.

During the regular press briefing on Thursday at Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman
Edwin Lacierda bared this statement since the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF formally
resumed its peace talks early this year.

Undersecretary Alexander A. Padilla, chair of the Government Panel for Peace Talks with
the CPP-NPA-NDF and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Ging Delles told
the Palace that the recent development in the on-going peace talks manifested a positive
progress to head for the sealing of agreement.

“Based on updates of Sec. Ging Delles and Usec Padilla on the progress of the peace talks it
seems that there is a sign that the peace talks signing will push through,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda said the Palace is leaving the matter to Usec. Padilla who continues getting the
pulse and sentiment of the other party. “Based on what Usec Padilla had stated, I think it’s
based on his experience in talking with the other party, we will leave it at that,” he said.

“Peace negotiation is only one element in our nation’s journey towards lasting peace and
genuine development. While we will try our best to reach agreement on the substantive
issues, in the end, any agreement will remain a mere piece of paper unless the roots of
the conflict are resolved and a just and equitable peace is achieved and enjoyed by all.
Fortunately, we represent a government that is well on its way on that path,” Usec Padilla
said in an earlier statement. (PCOO)

AFP nagdeklara na usab og ceasefire

NAGDEKLARA na usab kagahapon og ilang kaugalingong bersyon sa ceasefire ang Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) kalabot sa pagbalik sa peace talks tali sa GRP peace panel
ug sa CPP-NPA-NDF sa Oslo, Norway gikan Pebrero 14, hangtud 21.

Matud pa ni AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr., sama sa deklarasyon sa NPA, ila
usab obserbahan ang ceasefire gikan alas-12:01 sa kadlawon sa Pebrero 14 nga molanat
hangtud alas-11:59 sa tunga’ng gabii sa Pebrero 21.

Bisan pa niini, niingon si Mabanta nga samtang gi-obserbahan ang ceasefire, magpabilin sa
defense mode ang tropa sa gobyerno aron masanta ang posi-bleng panabotahe sa NPA, ang
armed wing sa CPP.

“However this will not preclude our soldiers from taking action in self-defense and to protect
communities from armed threats. Your soldiers will give primacy to the peace process by
employing military capability only when necessitated by security considerations”, matud pa ni
Mabanta.

Gikondena usab ni Mabanta ang pagpaboto sa landmine sa mga NPA sa Maco, Compostela
Valley sa miaging adlaw o sa mismong bisperas sa ceasefire nga nakapatay sa usa ka sibil-
yan samtang unom pa ang nanga-angol apil na sa duha ka sundalo. (ecbPIABohol)

AFP nipagawas og human rights handbook

ANG Armed Forces of the Philippines kon AFP nipagawas karong adlawa sa ilang human rights handbook nga magsilbing giya sa militar sa paghimo sa ilang operasyon batok sa tanang “threat groups,” apil na ang communist New People’s Army.

Ang maong handbook gisulat ni Lt. Col. Samuel Sagun sa AFP Civil Relations Service uban sa pakigtambayayong sa Commission on Human Rights, International Committee on the Red Cross, ug sa European Union-Philippine Justice Support Program.

Matud pa ni Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos, ang public affairs office chief sa AFP nga ang 200-ka pahina nga human rights handbook maoy magsilbing practical guide sa mga sundalo.

Gi dugang ni Burgos nga ang maong handbook magamit dili lamang sa pagbatok sa mga rebeldeng komunista, apan alang usab sa tanang internal security operations sa militar. (PIA-Bohol)

Govt peace panels for MILF, CPP talks in the works

THE government is now forming five-man peace panels for the impending resumption of negotiations with communist and Moro secessionist rebels, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita “Ging” Deles gave President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III Tuesday morning her recommendations for the heads of the panels that will negotiate with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Lacierda refused to give names until the two panels are formed.

Lacierda said the resumption of peace negotiations with the two groups is the Aquino administration’s “internal” solution to the problems in conflict-ridden and poverty-stricken Mindanao.

The NPA, the armed wing of the CPP, operates nationwide while the MILF has its forces mostly in Central Mindanao. (PIA-Bohol)

Barangay tanod nga gipatay, kanhi masa sa NPA

Kanhi masa sa rebeldeng New People’s Army kun NPA ang usa ka sakop sa barangay tanod nga gipatay sa upat ka wala mailhing armadong lalaki didto sa Barangay Puting Bato, Buenavista, Bohol niadtong nakalabay nga adlaw.

Kini maoy gitug-an ni PO3 Emiliano Luga, imbestigador sa Buenavista Police Station dihang gihinabi sa Bohol Balita kagahapon.

Matud ni Luga nga dunay magsak-anan nga sakop sa NPA sa pinuy-anan sa biktima nga si Atenesio Manzo dihang aktibo pang naglihok and maong grupo.

Apan niingon si Luga nga wala pa nila mahibaw-i kun unsa gayud ang nagpaluyo sa pagpatay sa maong biktima gumikan kay padayon pa ang ilang gihimo nga imbestigasyon.

Sayo niini, si Manzo, 48-anyos,minyo, sakop sa barangay tanod sa maong dapit gipusil sa upat ka mga wala mailhing suspetsado samtang ang biktima padung na untang mopauli sa ilang balay mga alas 7 sa buntag niadtong Dominggo gikan naligo sa usa ka suba kuyog sa iyang pamilya.

Naigo ang biktima sa luyong bahin sa iyang ulo diin ang bala nilapos sa iyang agtang, wala ug tuo sa iyang abaga ug sa likod sa iyang lawas nga maoy hinungdan sa iyang kamatayon.