Press Release
August 27, 2009

CHIZ TO GRP, NDF: DON'T PUT PEACE TALKS IN PERIL

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday called on both the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) to stay in the course of peace and remove all obstacles that may imperil the scheduled resumption of negotiations.

"Now is not the time to take a step back and put the entire peace process at risk. I urge both parties to show sincerity in complying with previous agreements and go back to the negotiations table," Escudero said.

The senator issued the statement after the NDF accused the government of insincerity after it failed to release the communist group's arrested consultants, an event that may scuttle the resumption of the talks.

"The government should address this concern. The peace talks are an integral part of the country's journey towards progress and failure to initiate the negotiations takes us farther away from that goal," Escudero said.

"The Arroyo administration, already suffering from a widely- perceived lackluster performance, should at least do one good thing and prevent the talks from breaking down."

The GRP and the NDF, with the mediation of the Norwegian government, agreed to resume formal negotiations in informal talks held in Oslo in June. The peace talks were set to resume from Aug. 28 to Sept. 5 in Oslo.

However, NDF negotiator Luis Jalandoni said the government has not complied with its commitment to release all detained NDF consultants and quash the arrest warrants pending for others.

Of these consultants, only Randy Echanis was temporarily released on a six-month period, contrary to the agreement forged in June 15 of this year.

The government claims it also released Elizabeth Principe, but the NDF claims she was released because of her legal victories.

The other consultants who have remained in detention are Eduardo Serrano, Eduardo Sarmiento and Randy Malayao. All in all, the NDF is working for the release of 22 consultants and political prisoners.

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