5 March 2001

CONGRATULATIONS TO GRP PRINCIPAL AND REITERATION OF APPRECIATION

By Jose Maria Sison

NDFP Chief Political Consultant

I wish to congratulate President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as the principal of the GRP negotiating panel, for prevailing over the attempt of Mr. Estrada to reverse the political verdict of the Filipino people and the broad united front that removed him from power.

I reiterate my appreciation of President Macapagal-Arroyo’s declaration to end the all-out war policy of her predecessor, her desire to resume the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and her to reconstitute the GRP negotiating panel.

I am hopeful that the GRP and the NDFP negotiating panels headed respectively by former justice secretary Silvestre Bello III and NDFP national executive committee member Luis Jalandoni, would soon be able to lay the ground for the resumption of the peace negotiations and the revival of the agreements previously made by the GRP and the NDFP.

To enhance the atmosphere for the resumption of the peace negotiations, I urge President Macapagal-Arroyo to accelerate the release of the political prisoners in response to the pleas of human rights organizations, churches and the people in general.

The NDFP is ready to reciprocate such act of goodwill on the part of the GRP by releasing the prisoners of war in the custody of the New People’s Army in response to the appeal of the humanitarian and peace mission of Senator Loren Legarda, Bishop Jesus Varela and Supreme Bishop Tomas Millamena.