A statue of the “Fountain of the Naiads” is covered with ice at Piazza Repubblica, on January 9, 2017 in central Rome. / AFP PHOTO / Tiziana FABI
“Windy and freezing cold.” That was how National Democratic Front (NDF) legal consultant Edre Olalia described Rome, Italy where the continuation of the peace talks will be held.
Olalia told INQUIRER.net that most of the members of the NDF delegation are already in the city for the third round of negotiations, which will be held from January 19 to 25.
Norway serves as the third party facilitator of the negotiations, which has been ongoing for more than 30 years. The stalled talks were revived when President Rodrigo Duterte, who was on friendly terms with the Left, was elected.
The government and the NDF recently decided to move the peace talks from Oslo, Norway to Rome because of the cold weather. According to BBC Weather, the temperature in Oslo today is at -2 degrees Celsius while Rome is at 4 degrees Celsius and is expected to rise to 8 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.
Despite the cold weather, Italian and Norwegian officials are expected to offer a warm welcome to the participants.
Olalia said the NDF is ready to exchange drafts of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER) and the Political and Constitutional Reforms (PCR) with the Philippine government.
The CASER and the PCR are two of the four substantive agreements that must be approved by the two parties before reaching a final peace settlement. The first one, the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), was signed in 1998.
The NDF is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines whose New People’s Army has been waging the longest-running communist insurgency in Asia.
Olalia said the 57-member NDF delegation still has a “positive outlook despite outstanding issues” on the release of political prisoners, ceasefire violations and extrajudicial killings in relation to the government’s anti-drug campaign.
Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza on Tuesday said the Philippine government is also optimistic “although with managed expectations.”
“The 3rd round of talks hopes to tackle the still unfinished discussions on the proposed bilateral ceasefire vis-a-vis the issues on the releases of prisoners,” he said.
Human rights group Karapatan estimates that there are 392 political prisoners in jails all over the country. The group, together with the NDF, has been calling for their release, especially those who are sick and elderly.
Olalia said the NDF delegation, which consists of volunteer lawyers, economists, academicians and social activists, was staying at a “modest casa” near the Vatican.
“The full NDF panel and political and legal consultants, including Joma (Sison) and (Benito and Wilma) Tiamzon, are already in the thick of preparations and contemporaneous consultations,” he said.
CPP founder Sison earlier told INQUIRER.net that the two delegations may seek an audience with Pope Francis.
READ: Sison to Duterte: We will cooperate but…
Olalia said the delegation has already met with Italian parliamentarians, migrant groups and lawyers.
They will soon be meeting with the government delegation at Holiday Inn, where the talks will be held.
The agenda of the 7-day event will be finalized on Tuesday evening. JE