Navigating the Red maze (4)
Duterte was reluctant to resume talks if the rebels continued to extort contractors and barangay officials through ‘revolutionary tax.’
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Duterte was reluctant to resume talks if the rebels continued to extort contractors and barangay officials through ‘revolutionary tax.’
Achieving peace is like trying to tame a wild bull, especially when dealing with beef that's been sizzling for ages, like the one between the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF. At the onset of then-President Rodrigo R. Duterte's administration, it looked like they were making headway, but it all went belly up.
PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE (2016 — 2022)
18 July 2016 — Formal peace talks resumed in Oslo, Norway. Duterte greenlit a six-point peace and development agenda with an accelerated peace talks timeline. He made room for former communist members in his Cabinet — Departments of Agrarian Reform, Environment and Natural Resources, Labor and Employment, and Agrarian Reform.
25 July 2016 — Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA-NDF in his first State of the Nation Address. Five days later, he called off the truce when rebels in Davao del Norte ambushed government militia.
13 August 2016 — The CPP withdrew support for Duterte's anti-drug campaign, labeling it "anti-people and anti-democratic."
21 August 2016 — An indefinite unilateral ceasefire was reinstated following the CPP-NPA's declaration of a seven-day unilateral ceasefire. Additionally, the government released 22 NDF consultants for the peace talks, including CCP chairman Benito and Wilma Tiamzon.
22-26 August 2016 — The Duterte administration and the NDF engaged in their first round of peace talks in Oslo. The discussions resulted in both sides agreeing to declare unilateral ceasefires and progressing on critical issues like the reconstitution of the JASIG list, immediate release of prisoners, and amnesty proclamation.
6-10 October 2016 — The second round of peace talks in Oslo saw the establishment of a framework for the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms, focusing on reducing poverty and inequality through sustainable rural initiatives.
8 December 2016 — Duterte said he would not release 130 political prisoners until the NDF signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement following small but lethal attacks by the NPA on businesses and facilities.
20 December 2016 — CPP founding chairperson Jose Maria Sison reported that he and Duterte agreed to uphold both sides' unilateral ceasefires over the holidays.
19-15 January 2017 — The third round of peace talks in Rome, Italy, concluded with an agreement to uphold unilateral ceasefires. Government negotiator Silvestre Bello suggested that the government may consider removing Sison from the terrorist list.
1 February 2017 — The NPA announced the termination of its unilateral ceasefire starting on 10 February, citing the government's failure to fulfill its commitment to release all political prisoners.
3 February 2017 — The government ended its own ceasefire due to recent clashes between the NPA and the military, which led to government casualties even before the truce was lifted.
4 February 2017 — Duterte terminated the peace talks and declared that he would not release 400 political prisoners.
5 February 2017 — A lookout bulletin was issued for the Tiamzons and other NDF consultants after the talks were canceled and their arrests were ordered.
7 February 2017 — The government canceled JASIG and announced an "all-out war" against the NPA.
12 March 2017 — Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jess Dureza announced that peace talks will recommence in April.
3-6 April 2017 — The fourth round of peace talks was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
27 May 2017 — The fifth round of peace talks was suspended after the CPP ordered the NPA to intensify attacks, coinciding with Duterte's declaration of martial law in Mindanao following the Marawi siege. Duterte was reluctant to resume talks if the rebels continued to extort contractors and barangay officials through "revolutionary tax."
(To be continued)
