GPH-NDFP Breukelen Joint Statement | June 14, 1994
The GRP Panel headed by Chairman Howard Q. Dee and the NDF Delegation headed by Vice Chairperson for International Affairs Luis Jalandoni held talks from 10 to 14 June 1994 in Breukelen, The Netherlands. These talks were held to advance the peace negotiations pursuant to the Joint Declaration of the GRP and the NDF signed on September 1, 1992 in The Hague, The Netherlands (henceforth, The Hague Declaration).
Other participants in the GRP delegation were Representative Jose V. Yap and Atty. Silvestre Bello III, Panel Members; Representative Jesus Dureza, Panel Adviser; State Counsel Teresita L. de Castro, GRP Legal Consultant; and Executive Director Maria Lorenza Dalupan of the GRP Panel Secretariat.
Other participants in the NDF Delegation were Asterio Palima, NDF Representative to the Nordic countries; Coni Ledesma, Executive Director, NDF International Office; and Ruth de Leon, Members of the Delegation. Others present during the talks were Prof. Jose Maria Sison and Fidel Agcaoili as NDF Consultants. Atty. Romeo Capulong of the Philippine Peace Center also participated as Legal Consultant.
The GRP and the NDF reaffirmed their adherence to The Hague Declaration. The discussions were frank and candid. These allowed for clarification of issues and perspectives on both sides. Areas of agreement and disagreement were also defined, which include among others the following:
I. CONFIDENCE BUILDING AND GOODWILL MEASURES
These are measures voluntarily undertaken by either side, not as preconditions to the holding or conduct of peace negotiations, but as means to improve the climate thereof.
1. The NDF asserts that the rights of political prisoners be respected. The NDF further asserts that political prisoners should not be treated, charged, prosecuted or convicted as common criminals. Finally, the NDF asserts that the GRP should stop its policy and practice of treating and prosecuting political prisoners as common criminals.
In response, the GRP Panel denies that there are political prisoners. Further, the GRP Panel reiterates GRP's policy that offenders who may have committed crimes in pursuit of political ends are to be charged with said “political” crimes as may be warranted by the evidence.
2. The GRP Panel shall transmit to its principal the NDF proposal for the expeditious release of offenders who are found to have committed crimes in pursuit of 4 political objectives, including those charged and/or convicted of common crimes committed in the pursuit of political objectives. The NDF shall furnish a nonbinding list of said prisoners/detainees, irrespective of their political affiliations.
3. The GRP Panel acknowledges receipt of the NDF letter dated 10 June 1994 containing the findings of the NDF on the 30 missing military and police personnel of the GRP and intends to respond to said letter appropriately.
4. The NDF favorably endorses the claims for indemnification of the victims of human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship for at least 30 percent of the money to be recovered from the Swiss bank deposits of the Marcoses.
The GRP Panel shall report this to its principal.
5. The NDF asserts its integrity and shall consider it a violation of The Hague Declaration if the GRP Panel enters into talks with any person or entity pretending to represent the NDF or any of its organizations.
The GRP asserts its prerogative to adopt its own policy in this matter and in so doing, does not consider it a violation of The Hague Declaration.
