Vice President and candidate for President Maria Leonor Robredo reiterated her commitment for the resumption of peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, if she wins in the 9 May 2022 elections. Robredo spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez made the assurance on 23 March, during the Peace and the Presidentiables interview series organized by the Citizens Alliance for Just Peace.

Four other candidates had earlier expressed their willingness to reopen peace negotiations with the NDFP should they get elected. Aside from Vice President Robredo, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Sen. Manny Pacquiao and trade union leader Leody de Guzman also affirmed their commitment to pursue peace negotiations.

“If these four presidential candidates are committing to the peace talks, that’s a welcome for us peace advocates and churches as well,” said Bishop Felixberto Calang, head of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente in Cagayan de Oro, and Sowing the Seeds lead convener, in a phone interview.

Robredo said that she would avoid the militaristic and top-down strategies, in favor of addressing the roots of the armed conflict and institutionalizing people’s participation to enable marginalized sectors to have a role in governance and decision-making processes.

Atty. Gutierrez outlined the principles that a Robredo government would pursue, including the primacy of protecting civilians from violence, a peace framework that is in line with national socioeconomic goals and social justice, and the strategic role of the international community, including longstanding partners such as the Royal Norwegian Government.

Robredo is also committed to upholding previously signed agreements between the GRP and NDFP, including the Hague Joint Declaration, Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. She would also resume the bilateral discussions on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms because this is fundamental to the peace process.

The Communist Party of the Philippines welcomed the pronouncements of the candidates for President. Marco Valbuena, CPP Chief Information Officer said, “These statements add to the mounting calls of peace advocates and progressive organizations to resume the NDFP-GRP peace negotiations after the proven failure of the Duterte regime’s all-out war against the revolutionary movement.”