Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.

Kaangayan, Kalambuan, Kalinaw ... sa Mindanaw, sa Pilipinas, sa Kalibutan

GRP, RPM-M sign agreement on ceasefire ground rules
By Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews
Posted 20 December 2006

	Lead government negotiator Franklin Quijano (left) shakes hands with RPM-M representative Armando Orbis after signing the document detailing the ground rules of the cessation of hostilities. Looking on is Balay Mindanaw's Kaloy Manlupig. More photos

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/19 Dec) -- As their Christmas gift to residents to Mindanaoans, representatives of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Mindanao (RPM-M) signed Dec. 19 an agreement detailing the ground rules of the ceasefire agreed upon over a year ago.

Government chief peace negotiator Franklin Quijano said the agreement means that guns will be silent in villages under the influence of the RPM-M, which include at least six provinces.

The main forces of the RPM-M are reportedly in Lanao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and the newly created Shariff Kabunsuan.

"We can say the people in these villages can peacefully celebrate Christmas. This is historic. Peace is still possible in Mindanao," Quijano said during ceremonies held at the Pryce Plaza Hotel.

Quijano signed the seven-page document detailing "The Guidelines and Ground Rules For the Implementation and Monitoring of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities" in behalf of the Philippine government.

Representatives of the GRP-RPM-M panels sign the agreement. More photos

Four rebel representatives – chief negotiator Moniva Pascual, Frederick Montes, Armando Orbis, and political consultant Ike de los Reyes – signed for the RPM-M.

"We do not need a minute but a lifetime of peace. We know its difficulties but we are willing to make the sacrifice," De los Reyes said.

The agreement came after a series of negotiations that started since 2003. The rebels have insisted that the government conduct consultations in a few hundred villages in the six provinces. Government negotiators said they have finished consultations in 93 villages and will conduct another 100 next year.

"We want the government to validate what we have earlier found that these villages are living in extreme poverty. The reason we seek peace is because it will be immoral to wage war if our people are suffering from extreme poverty," Orbis said.

Kaloy Manlupig, head of the Balay Mindanao group of NGOs that is serving as the independent secretariat to the talks, said that the unique feature of the GRP-RPM-M peace talks is the inclusion of local consultations as integral part of the process.

The agreement on the ground rules of the ceasefire calls for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the rebels to stop hostile actions, attacks, raids, landmine use, spying, and deployment of forces against each other.

Harassment, intimidation, extortion, arrest without warrants, blatant display of firearms, illegal detention and providing sanctuary to criminal elements are also not permitted.

	Singing the national anthem. More photos

The agreement also calls for the establishment of local coordinating and monitoring teams in areas identified by the Philippine government and the rebels. Each team shall be composed of representatives from the government, military, rebels and non-government organizations.

The RPM-M broke away from the mainstream Communist Party of the Philippines in the 1990s over ideological differences. De los Reyes said that in 1991, a revolutionary court of the New People's Army sentenced him and several other key communist cadres to death.

NPA hit squads have successfully carried out the death sentence against Rolly Kintanar, Popoy Lagman and other prominent former communist cadres.

De los Reyes said this is the reason why they are not free to divulge their real strength and scope of their influence. He said the threat from their former comrades is still real.

Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, commanding general of the Army’s 1st “Tabak” Division, said he understands the need of secrecy by the rebels.

"The communist party led by Jose Maria Sison has a violent history against its former comrades who want to break away from them. They will kill these people if given the opportunity," Ferrer said.

MGen. Raymundo Ferrer of the Army's First "Tabak" Division gives support to the GRP-RPM-M peace process. More photos

He said that under his area of responsibility, the rebels have a force operating in five towns bordering Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.

Ferrer, who is known for his peace building efforts during his Basilan tour of duty until a few months ago, said he supports the GRP-RPM-M peace process.

Senior Supt. Rogelio Nuñeza, of the Philippine National Police in Northern Mindanao, said the group is responsible for several ambuscades and attacks against government soldiers in the past.

"If they want peace, we can say a major threat has been removed," Nuñeza added. (With Bobby Timonera)