THE Davao City Peace Committee (DC-Peace) is set to meet on Thursday, December 7, to discuss its next move after President Rodrigo Duterte signed a proclamation last Tuesday declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as terrorists.
Lawyer Elisa Lapiña, committee spokesperson, told SunStar Davao on Wednesday that all members of the committee will gather at the City Hall to discuss their plans after the proclamation.
Last November 23, 2017, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said there is no cancellation on the DC-Peace talk with the communist group except only if there is already an official document from the office of the President tagging them as terrorists.
This after the national government gave the direction on the cancellation of the peace talks between GRP and the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Duterte-Carpio said that the directive does not have any effect to the localized peace talks spearheaded by the DC-Peace.
"Walang effect ang direction sa National Government with regards to the cancellation of peace talks between CPP-NPA-NDF because the basis of the work of DC-Peace is the general welfare clause of the local government. Hindi naman incompatible yung trabaho namin at tsaka trabaho ng national government, all the more na hindi siya incompatible ngayon na hindi na sila mag-pursue ng talks," Duterte-Carpio said in a previous interview.
She said that if the President will officially release the document, she will ask the DC-Peace to convene and discuss the effects of the official document.
Prior to the issuance of the official proclamation, the DC-Peace planned to go to the hinterland part of the city to talk with members of the communist group.
The committee also likewise recommended to Duterte-Carpio days of peace this Christmas season or a temporary ceasefire between the NPA and the government forces.
The DC-Peace Committee is given a year by Duterte-Carpio to conduct fruitful talks with the NPA.