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Bacolod City, Philippines Friday, March 9, 2012
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Final draft of RPA
peace pact readied

BY GILBERT BAYORAN

KABANKALAN CITY, Negros Occ  - The final closure of the peace agreement  between the government and the  Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas–Revolutionary Proletarian Army–Alex Boncayao Brigade (Tabara-Paduano Group)  will show the New People’s Army that it has the ability to fulfill and comply with all its commitments.

This was said yesterday by Undersecretary Luisito Montalvo of Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, at the 4th founding anniversary celebration of the Church-Military Advisory Group here with a theme “ Peace and Development for God’s People – Our Mission.”

Montalbo also said that there are ways to bring about peace and development without the armed struggle, and that the peace process is the only way to bring just and lasting peace to the communities.

“I think the successful implementation of the peace agreement with the  RPM-P-RPA-ABB should prove that,” he said.

The peace agreement between the government and the National Democratic Front, an umbrella organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and its armed wing New People’s Army, that has been dragging for more two decades, and now, was again stalled by the demand for the release of detained alleged NDF consultants.

Montalvo said they are now making the final draft of the agreement after consultations with various stakeholders.

He said that,  hopefully, before the end of this month, they can finalize the draft, before submitting it to the Office of the President for approval in April.

VENUE NOT KNOWN YET

Montalvo, however, said the venue for the signing not been determined yet.

The  RPM-P-RPA-ABB entered into peace agreement with the government in year 2000, that was signed in Don Salvador Benedicto, and witnessed by then President Joseph Estrada.

Montalvo said they are looking at a peace agreement that will last for about 24 months and, hopefully, all the commitments will be complied with before the term of President Aquino ends in 2016.

The Philippine government has earmarked P91 million for the implementation of infrastructure and livelihood projects in communities affected by the armed conflict, as identified by the RPM-P-RPA-ABB.

KEY PROVISIONS

Montalvo said the key provisions of the agreement are geared towards the transformation of the RPA-ABB into civilian, political, economic organization, mainstreaming them into their communities and provides them with livelihood and employment, at the same time, moving them towards the disposition of arms and forces, disarmament and dismantling of their military structure.

KARAPATAN STANCE

The human rights group, Karapatan, had called on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental not to sign the closure of the peace agreement, claiming that it will worsen the human rights abuses of the RPA-ABB in Negros.

 “ I think the very reason that we are doing the peace process in putting the closure of the agreement is to avoid future abuses from happenings”, Montalvo said.

SPOILERS

Whatever abuses that may have happened in the past, were primarily because there was no clear process to put closure on what was had started in 2000, but which are now being addressed,  Montalvo said.

Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said there are  always third parties who will spoil the peace agreement. * GPB

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