No True Peace Until U.S. Removes Bases, Philippine Rebels Say

Communist rebel negotiators said Monday that there will be no lasting peace in the Philippines until the United States removes its two big military bases here.

They vowed to continue their armed fight against the government until President Corazon Aquino “addresses the fundamental problems” of Philippine society.

“We are not laying down our arms,” rebel leader Saturnino Ocampo declared, virtually on the eve of a cease-fire scheduled to take effect Wednesday. It is the first such pause in the conflict, which has persisted for 17 years and claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Ocampo’s wife, Carolina Malay, said that U.S. air and naval bases north of Manila are “the cornerstone of American control and domination over the Philippines.” They must go, she said, if the government is to achieve a permanent political settlement in the negotiations that are to accompany the cease-fire, scheduled to last for 60 days.

Fighting Persists

The rebel stand on the bases, their strongest since negotiations for a cease-fire began four months ago, raised serious questions about whether the truce will prove to be more than a break for Christmas.

There were even doubts that it will take effect on schedule, as ambushes and gun battles continued to erupt. Two soldiers were killed Monday and six were wounded.

Rebel negotiators repeated a threat to derail the cease-fire if the armed forces continue to argue that they can patrol and disarm rebels in areas over which the Communists claim control.

Civilian and military government officials met for several hours behind closed doors Monday to try to resolve differences over the cease-fire agreement between the military and the rebels. Several sources said the differences could likely be resolved “simply by using slightly different wording” for the agreement’s terms.

The Communist position on the American bases is seen as a much greater threat to Aquino’s plans for long-term peace. She has already given President Reagan her personal guarantee that she will respect an agreement under which the United States keeps the bases until 1991. After that, she has said, “I will keep my options open.”

Rebels Adamant on Bases

U.S. Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth, who has met with Aquino dozens of times since she came to power last February, told reporters last week that Aquino “has committed herself to honoring the (bases) agreements.” Asked whether that means there will be no substantive discussion on the issue with the rebels, Bosworth replied: “That seems logical.”

Speaking at a breakfast forum Monday, the rebel negotiators said their position on the U.S. bases is among several issues they consider “non-negotiable.”