June 20, 2001, The Philippine Star, GMA cool to truce with NDF during talks, by Marichu Villanueva,

June 20, 2001, The Philippine Star, GMA cool to truce with NDF during talks, by Marichu Villanueva,

President Arroyo appeared cool yesterday to a ceasefire while the government and communist rebels are holding peace negotiations. 

Mrs. Arroyo, however, told a press conference at Malacañang that "matters relating to rebel groups" must be evaluated by the newly created Cabinet Oversight Committee on National Security under Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo. 

"So therefore, the peace panel will have to consult the Oversight Committee with regard to the future course of these (peace) talks," she said. 

The government peace panel has announced that peace talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) will resume in the second week of August. 

Chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III proposed the declaration of a ceasefire upon his return from Oslo, Norway following a "recess" in peace talks between the government and the NDF. 

Mrs. Arroyo recalled home government negotiators after New People’s Army (NPA) hit men assassinated Cagayan Rep. Rodolfo Aguinaldo in front of his home in Tuguegarao City on the night of June 12. 

During the same press conference, Mrs. Arroyo said the peace talks with the communist rebels will not be affected by the revelation of former Senate president Jovito Salonga that NDF consultant Jose Ma. Sison masterminded the bombing of the Liberal Party rally at Plaza Miranda in Manila on Aug. 21, 1971. 

"So it’s not only the charge of Senate President Salonga that will affect the future course of the peace talks," she said. "So there are many things that will have to be reported by the panel to the appropriate Cabinet Cluster." 

Mrs. Arroyo said her administration will "ignore" the charges against Sison but will press the prosecution of communist rebels responsible for the series of political assassinations, the latest of which was Aguinaldo’s killing. 

Earlier, Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said Sison cannot be charged with the Plaza Miranda bombing because the 20-year prescriptive period for pressing charges has lapsed. 

In Tripoli, Libya, Vice President Teofisto Guingona arrived last Monday for peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), that are expected to start today. 

The talks will be presided over by Seif al Islam, a son of Libyan leader Moammar Gahaffi and president of the Gadhaffi Charity Foundation. 

Representatives of Indonesia and Malaysia will also take part in the peace negotiations. 

Among the issues to be discussed in the first round of talks is an MILF demand that the government recognize more than 40 rebel-controlled areas, where there will be a complete "cessation of hostilities" in exchange for economic development. 

Libya, Indonesia, and Malaysia sponsored negotiations between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front in 1996, which resulted in a peace treaty. 

In August last year, the Gadhaffi Charity Foundation financed the release of foreign hostages held by Abu Sayyaf bandits in the jungles of Jolo. –Marichu Villanueva