By CONG B. CORRALES, Associate Editor SEMANTICS could spoil the ongoing peace talks between the Duterte administration and the National Democratic Front (NDF), a member of the joint ceasefire committee in the peace talks said yesterday. NDF peace consultant Alfredo Mapano a.k.a. Ka Paris warned that differences in the understanding of the definition of the word “ceasefire” may cause a major rift in the ongoing peace process. Mapano said this even as he pointed out how the military has allegedly been washing its hands over some attacks groups accused of supporting New People’s Army (NPA). Mapano said although the ceasefire means cessation of attacks from both sides, the government panel should also consider the definition of the word according to their signed agreements. He said the attacks were carried out by militiamen, and their actions have been disowned by the Armed Forces. “Bahin sa ‘no attacks,’ halos perfect kini nga pagka-implement. Apan under our agreement, it also means nga wala’y hostile acts against sa mga dayag nga supporters sa NPA (New People’s Army),” said Mapano. The NPA is the armed wing of the NDF-Communist Party of the Philippines. Mapano said the cessation of attacks should include NDF’s support and allied groups which they labeled as “open-legal” organizations. He cited the attacks of paramilitary groups against lumad communities, specifically the killing of environmental advocate Jimmy Saipan in Compostela Valley the other month and the wedding strafing incident in Bukidnon. He said the Army has been taking advantage of a “loophole” in the ceasefire agreement by continuously denying accountability of forming the paramilitary groups who he said has been attacking lumad communities and farmers’ groups. “Unsaon pagka accountable nila kang Butsoy Salusad nga dili man ga-angkonon sa Army nga ila kining tao,” Mapano argued. In the peace talks in Oslo, Mapano said, this is manifested by the number of panel members in any given committee meeting. “Sa ceasefire committee, maklaro nimo ang interest sa GPH (national government) nga mas daghan ilang membro sa panel kay sa panel sa SER (socio-economic reforms). Na outnumbered gud mi,” said Mapano, adding that there were at least 30 members in the government panel while there were 20 of them. This shows, Mapano said, the intention of the government to delay the talks on socio-economic reforms while fast-tracking the final ceasefire agreement. “Bisan og wala’y final agreement basta naa’y indefinite ceasefire,” he said. However, even with these conditions with regard to the proper implementation of the bilateral ceasefire, Mapano said he and the NDF peace panel are still hopeful with the current peace talks, citing an “80 percent chance for it to succeed.” Mapano called it the “fastest peace talks” compared to previous talks with past administrations. “For example, ang anti-dynasty ug judicial reforms dali ra na uyonan,” Mapano said. Mapano, who was a political detainee at the Misamis Oriental provincial jail for seven years until this year, is also a member of the joint technical working group on political and constitutional reforms.