WITH the recent clashes between government forces and the communist rebel group, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said these might impede the peace talks.
“Kana ilahang mga pang-ataki would show sa ilahang sincerity kung gusto ba jud sila makig-istorya ug kalinaw with the National Government. Kung mag sige kag ingon na gusto kag peace talks pero lahi man pod ang ginabuhat on the ground, then it shows na walay sincerity ang mga tao nga nagasulti nga gusto sila ug peace talks (Their attacks would show their sincerity to return to the peace talks with the national government. If they keep on talking about peace but it is contrary to what they are doing on the ground, it only shows that the people talking about it are not sincere about their intention to go into the peace talks),” Duterte-Carpio said in an interview.
The city mayor added that the Davao City Peace Advisory Council, now Peace 911, which was initially formed to facilitate the localized peace talks with the New People’s Army (NPA) in Davao City, will now be tasked to implement projects and peace development in the far-flung areas in the city.
The task force planned to officially launch its proposed peace building programs on May 9 in Paquibato District.
“Sa local wala naman tay localize peace talks, gi-deactivate na nato after na-release ang executive order gikan sa Office of the President declaring the NPA as terrorist. So nag-focus nalang ta sa community development didto sa mga areas na-identify na dunay presence ang NPA (We no longer have localized peace talks. We deactivated it after the President released an executive order declaring the NPA as terrorist. We focus now on community development in identified areas with presence of NPA),” Duterte-Carpio said.
Admitting that there are still areas in Davao City where government services are hard to deliver due to the geographical location, Duterte-Carpio said that with this body, she wanted to bring the government closer to these areas.
Duterte-Carpio said the communist group took advantage of the situation to recruit the residents there.
“There are areas that are hard to reach by development and we will concentrate in these areas because terrorists exploit the issue on the delay of development,” she said.
It can be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte bared the possibility of reviving the peace negotiations with communist rebels on condition that the latter would stop violence and extortion.
Duterte-Carpio, however, urged the President to reconsider his decision to reopen the negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
“I believe the insurgency problem can only be ended peacefully if the NDFP and the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, are sincere, honest, and committed to working toward the direction of peace and reciprocate the gesture offered by the government," she said.
She added she could not find indications that the other party is willing to negotiate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict because the other party has consistently shown its "deep-seated proclivity to sow hate, violence and extremism, destruction, and senseless killings."