Activists in Davao City is calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to resume the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. The activists held a press conference in Davao City on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017. (Earl O. Condeza/davaotoday.com )
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Militant groups here are hopeful that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will continue the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
Despite the president’s declaration of ending the talks with the communists, the groups expressed hope that Duterte would change his mind.
“Hopeful pa mi na maabrihan pa, tan-aw namo ana ka init ang ulo ni president. Mausab iya ulo karon pagkaugma na lahi na sad na (Were are still hopeful that the [talks] will still be opened], he will change his mind on the next day, his pronouncement will change),” said Rev. Jurie Jaime, convener of the Exodus for Justice and Peace.
“That is how we knew him, even when he was still the Mayor of Davao,” Jaime added in a press conference here Tuesday, Feb. 7.
However, Sheena Duazo, spokesperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said if the President will not change his mind, they will continue marching on the streets to call for genuine change and peace.
Compelling reasons
Duazo said Duterte should look into more “compelling reasons” such as the “socio-economic reforms where majority of the Filipino people could benefit” and the implementation of genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization.
The socio-economic reform, according to Duazo, would bring “real change to the current situation of the country where farmers remained landless and stable employment rate were low.”
Duterte announced the termination of peace negotiations following his lifting of the government’s unilateral ceasefire. The President said he is angry that while the ceasefire is ongoing government troops were killed in Bukidnon.
Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, in a statement Monday, said they will take the cue from Duterte’s declaration to end ceasefire.
Dureza said that “if there is anyone who passionately dreams of — and works on — bringing about sustainable peace in the land, it is President Duterte.”
“His judgment calls are directed towards this goal,” he said. “At the moment, he has clearly spoken on the directions we all in government should take. Let’s take guidance from these recent declarations.”
Consult the GRP panel
Woman leader Bai Ali Indayla, secretary general of Kawagib Moro Alliance for Human Rights, pointed out that Duterte should have consulted the government peace panel prior to ending the peace talks with the communist group.
“He should have talked with his panel first,” Indayla said.
“GRP’s peace panel should discuss if how heavy is Duterte’s reasons to end the peace negotiation,” she said.
‘Do not be afraid of the AFP’
The President’s declaration of ending the talks with the communists came days after he announced the government’s withdrawal of their own ceasefire on Feb. 2.
“Huwag n’yo akong ipitin because the military might not like it. And then the military would oust me, would kill me, you have nobody talking to you,” Duterte said during the 38th National Convention of the Philippine Association of Water Districts held here.
But for Indayla, Duterte should not be afraid of the military as the people are with him on his goal to achieve peace.
“We are with him in his quest na makamit ang kapayapaan sa bansa (to achieve peace in the country). Yun yung mabigat na dahilan na hindi sya matakot sa AFP (that’s the reason that he should not be afraid of AFP),” Indayla said.
“Andyan ang sambayanan (the people is there),” Indayla said, adding that the resumption of war would only bring suffering to civilian communities.
“We suffered from all-out war, our communities were bombed,” Indayla said. “Possible that it would happen in the communities here in southern Mindanao where the AFP said to be the stronghold of the NPAs.”
More human rights violations
On the government’s war against the communist rebels, Jaime said that it would only bring more harm to the communities such as the human rights violations.
Jaime added civilians will be affected by the “all out war.”
He said that the government should resume talks with the NDFP to address the root cause of the decade-long old armed conflict.
“An all out war will not resolve the armed conflict,” Jaime said.
“It was proven during the all-out war declaration of the past presidents. There were already a lot of lives being wasted,” Jaime said.(davaotoday.com)
