WHILE state forces intensify security measures against the New People's Army (NPA), Mayor Oscar Moreno said government should also prioritize intensifying the delivery of services, saying at the end of the day, "the war against insurgency is still winning the hearts of the people.”
Moreno said he respects the government's decision in terminating the peace talks and said he has no plans of embarking on localized peace talks.
"Rarely would you find localized peace talks, kay lisod kaayo nga amigo sa usa ka area, sa uban kaaway ta (because it's difficult if you're friends with them in one area, and enemies in another) so the tendency there, they will still attack you in another place, so we have to have a comprehensive plan," he said.
"Kung myopic imong panglantaw (If you have a myopic point of view), then you might end up creating bigger problems outside your area, and those problems will ruin you, so the important thing is the wider picture, the wider perspective, that the National Government is looking at, they know better," he said.
Moreno, the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chairman of Northern Mindanao, said what he intends to do while fighting between the two forces intensify, is also to step up efforts in "bringing the government closer to the people", which he pointed out, is still the long-term solution to the insurgency problem.
"We respect the decision of the government, but that should not prevent us, both the national and local levels, from bringing the government still closer to the people, to address the root causes of insurgency, and you cannot solve this by killing people," Moreno added.
In a statement to the media, the NPA has warned of more attacks in the coming days following President Duterte's threats against progressive groups and declaring the NPA as “terrorists.”
"The attacks are to be expected, because you terminated the peace talks, and you named them a terrorist group, so we expect their counter measures. For our part, we should look for other ways other than the tackle approach, we have to intensify our security forces, and services to our people," he said.
Bishop Felixberto Calang of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), meanwhile, said he is not giving up on the idea that peace talks can still be resumed.
Calang, an independent observer to the round table discussions of peace talks, said the IFI had earlier launched its ‘Peacemakers’ campaign saying the people should be actively involved in the peace process.
Calang said the peace talks should transcend issues surrounding between the National Democratic Front and the government, as issues discussed concerns the masses.