QUEZON City, Philippines (September 5) – The National Democratic Front of the Philippines or NDFP stated its interest in further dialogues with the Philippine government on the off chance that the latter is serious in meeting with the demands of the NDF which were brought up in the latest meeting between the two parties in Norway.
Both parties have consented to move forward with the peace process, making a joint articulation after a two-day meeting held in Oslo in last June 14 and 15 2016.
In the brief joint articulation marked after the meeting, both sides consented to proceed with the dialogues regarding the significant concerns and issues raised by both sides and to be ready for the resumption of the formal talks in formulating a peace arrangement, the goal of which is a just and enduring peace.
The announcement was marked by Alexander Padilla who heads the arranging board for the Philippine government and Luis Jalandoni, lead mediator for the NDF. It was witnessed by the Norwegian Ambassador Ture Lundh who served as the outsider facilitator to the peace transactions and previous representative Wigberto E. Tanada who joined the meeting as spectator.
The meeting opens the path for both parties to continue their dialogue specially on the NDF’s urgent issues, including that of the 356 NDF detainees and 14 NDF specialists.
Nevertheless, Jalandoni still has misgivings regarding the earnestness of the administration in seeking peace although he is not hesitant in declaring the NDF’s trust in the continuing peace arrangements, saying that the peace talks should push through, to the benefit of the general populace.
The formal peace talks between the Philippine government and NDF was encouraged by the Royal Norwegian government, and has been hosting said peace talks since 2001.
(written by Allysa Ruiz, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Vince Alvin Villarin)
