Undersecretary Luisito Montalbo yesterday said that the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process will remain firm in its stand that no peace table will give “immunity” to any member of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade with criminal liabilities.

Montalbo said this because of concerns raised by some sectors that the closure peace agreement will be used as a shield by those with accountabilities to the law.

“We will let the rule of law take its course, regardless of whether RPA members are involved or not, and independent from the peace process,” he stressed.

Five RPA-ABB members in southern Negros, including its deputy district commander, were recently charged for murder before the Department of Justice, in connection with the ambush-slay of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles on April 24 in Ilog, Negros Occidental.

Some family members of the Arles family have also claimed that the suspects in the killing of the judge are also linked to robbery-hold-up activities in southern Negros, citing, their involvement in the hold-up of a meat vendor in Kabankalan City, who was divested of P450,000.

Frank Britanico, brother-in-law of the judge, had also claimed that RPA-ABB members Jessie Daguia and Alejandro Capunong, both members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, who were arrested at a bus terminal in Bacolod City, were on their way to another hit in Silay City.

Human rights group Karapatan-Negros and its allied organizations also accused the RPA-ABB of being behind the strafing and arson incidents in Sagay City, and the abduction of three farmers in EB Magalona.

The RPA-ABB leadership has vehemently denied the accusations.

Montalbo said they have emphasized to the RPM-P/RPA/ABB leadership from the start, that there should be no transgressions against the law.

Montalbo said the provincial peace and order councils of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Aklan, Antique and Iloilo, cities of San Carlos and Cadiz; municipality of Amlan in Negros Oriental, have already issued resolutions supporting the closure of the peace agreement.

The RPM-P-RPA-ABB Tabara-Paduano Group signed a peace agreement with the government in year 2000. By the government envisions this to transform the rebel group into an unarmed, socio-economic organization with the signing of a closure agreement.

The OPPAP, through Montalbo, has been consulting with local stakeholders, and attending provincial and regional council meetings to make sure the proposed closure agreement will capture and reflect the sentiments and aspirations of the populace.

The consultations are also in line with efforts to make the proposed agreement transparent and inclusive.

Montalbo said there is a strong clamor for a proper closure to the operations of the rebel group, based on his consultations with political leaders and civil society groups.

“The people want this chapter closed. The regional, provincial, municipal and down to the barangay councils – they all have spoken. The clamor from the ground has been very palpable,” he said, in a statement. * GPB

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