DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Eduardo Año said on Thursday, July 19, that the proposed localized peace talks has already gained the local government units' support.
Año said the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), in particular, have already expressed their willingness to play a more significant role in ending hostilities in their respective areas.
He said the positive feedback from the LGU officials is a good development, as they are more aware of the prevailing issues in their locality that could have been the reason why the rebels took up arms against the government.
Año said the local executives are also in the better position to engage in talks with the communist rebels in their area and that they can also possibly recommend solutions to address these problems on the local level.
"We are not giving up on peace. We will pursue every avenue that we can utilize. Thus, we are pursuing localized peace talks to allow our brothers and sisters in the mountains to rejoin mainstream Philippine society. If Joma Sison and his minions give up on peace, we will instead talk to all the NPA ground units that are sincere in their desire to talk peace," said Año.
“It is also part of their (local officials) general welfare mandate under the Local Government Code to maintain peace and order therefore they should exercise that role of exploring all avenues of making peace,” he added.
PCL National Chairman and Davao City Councilor Danny Dayanghirang said peace talks should be given room for discussions in the local level “to give peace a chance.”
He said the government has already a lot of time and effort in taking to Sison, the CPP-NDF founding chairman, but still “nothing happens” and attacks still continue.
“Instead of Sison, who is not in the country anyway, local rebels could be in a better position to represent their group. Let the voice of the true local mass movements be heard in the panel,” he said.
For his part, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said the LGUs is in the position to properly implement government projects and programs in communities that may address and alleviate discontent among rebel groups and pave the way for a ceasefire in the region.
He noted the importance of the social and economic programs that may address issues of insurgency in the communities.
On July 11, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the guidelines for the localized peace talks amid the postponement of the peace negotiations between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-National Democratic Front of the Philippines in the Netherlands.
However, he is set to sign an executive order that will spell out the guidelines for the conduct of localized peace talks.
Included in the guidelines are: it will be nationally orchestrated, centrally directed and locally supervised and implemented; the constitutional integrity and sovereignty of the country will not be compromised; and provision of a full amnesty package based on disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration to mainstream of society, among others.
As a former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, Año said he is saddened that despite the several talks with the CPP leadership, it was not able to stop the activities of its armed wing such as the attacks on government forces and government projects, as well as the collection of revolutionary taxes from private firms.
Año, however, maintained that the national government is not attempting to divide or dismantle any group through the implementation of the localized peace talks, noting that they remain to be goal oriented and that is to attain lasting peace in the communities.
“The government will continue to negotiate with the rebels one way or another. The end goal has always been peace whether the agreement is reached through the national or local discussions,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)