The Davao City Peace Committee (DC-Peace) is changing its name to Davao City Peace Development Committee after President Rodrigo Duterte signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as terrorists.
In a press briefing, Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio explained that members of the Davao City local peace committee (DC-PEACE) decided to discontinue with the negotiations.
“The policy of the government is never and not to negotiate with the terrorists,” she said.
She said the declaration of President Duterte is ‘very sensitive.”
“You will be put in a sensitive and dangerous situation if you talk to a terrorist because you will be labeled as sympathizers or supporters of terrorists,” she said.
“You will be included in the list,” she added.
Atty. Elisa Lapiña, committee spokesperson, told reporters at the Davao City Hall on Thursday that in view of the declaration, the City Government is dropping all negotiations for local peace talks
“There is an effect the proclamation of President Duterte and we are still waiting for an executive order, but the City Mayor still continue with efforts to bring development throughout the land,” said Atty Lapiña.
“The committee is no longer called as DC-Peace and it will be officially called as DC-Peace Dev.,” she said.
Lapiña added that this is a Davao city advisory community on peace and development will concentrate on bringing peace and development to the city.
“City Mayor wanted to know the problem in every community and to pursue this goal we planned to go to the hinterland part of the city to talk with members of the communities and have a practical solution to bring peace,” she added.
According to City Mayor, that the new DC-peace will seek to address issue in the communities by asking them about their needs and problems.
“It’s not about changing the name but bringing peace to the entire land. That’s what we want to see, peaceful community,” she said. (Judie Vega and Armando B. Fenequito, Jr.)
