Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon and the military in Western Visayas yesterday said they were hopeful for peace with other rebel forces after the signing of a framework agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Monday.

The governor said peace has come about because rebel forces see that President Benigno Aquino is honest and sincere in trying to improve their lives.

This is like the New People's Army in Negros, many of whom have returned to the fold of the law in recent months, he said.

Marañon said more will follow as they see government's sincerity in working to improve their lives.

He also said the signing of the final peace accord between the government and the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade is expected soon.

In his speech, at the signing of the Framework Agreement with the MILF (text on page 4), President Aquino said the government is committed to “a peace that will be sustained through democratic ideals; a peace that heals and empowers; a peace that recognizes the many narratives of the Filipino people, and weaves them into a single, national aspiration for equitable progress.”

The military in Western Visayas remains hopeful that the recently signed peace framework between the government and the MILF will help make members and leaders of the NPA realize that there is no other better option but to pursue peace talks, Army Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta said.

Citing the outcome of successful peace talks with the MILF as an example, “Our continued call for peace hopes to inspire those from the NPA on the government's faithfulness in working for a peaceful agreement", Mabanta, the commanding general of the 3 rd Infantry Division, said.

The 3ID has a pending invitation for the leaders of the CPP-NPA in Western Visayas to accept its offer of peace dialogs, which is also being supported by Marañon and peace advocates.

Former Negrense priest-turned-rebel Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the National Democratic Front negotiating panel, said in a statement, however, that the propaganda of the government on the signing of framework agreement for a Bangsamoro aims to pressure the NDFP to agree to a ceasefire and resume formal peace negotiations, without complying with basic binding bilateral agreements, such as the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

Jalandoni said the JASIG requires the government to release 13 NDF consultants, now in prisons.

He claimed that there are some 385 political prisoners, 107 of them arrested and detained under the Aquino regime.*GPB

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