Sara not opposing peace talks

City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said she is not opposing the plan of the resumption of peace talks between the government and Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

“Of course, Pilipino pud gud ko, gusto pud nako’g peace. Wala ma’y problema kung mag Peace Talks sila. (Of course, as a Filipino, I want peace. There is no problem for me if they they will resume on the peace negotiations.) Whatever happens either positive or negative, successful or unsuccessful, at least they try,” the mayor said in an interview last week.

Duterte clarified she was just opposing that time,  the implementation of  suspension of military operations (SOMO) and unilateral ceasefire during the Christmas season.

The mayor explained, historically, even if there were  ceasefire truce, members of the NPA still launched their offensives against the government.

The Presidential daughter also added since, the truce was unilateral, she opted that the city will not be included on the implementation of SOMO.

Mayor Sara said the resumption of negotiation will show the sincerity of government to attain peace especially in the remote area in the country.

She suggested that the localized peace talks with the local government units should also be explored, to know which of these are viable in attaining the elusive peace.

“Kung naay national peace talks, then, kung tan-aw sa mayor or sa governor nga kaya ra niya mo buhat, on his own, og mechanisms on a localized peace talks, then i-allow siya sa national government to do it (If there is a national peace talks, then, the local chief executive sees that he or she could create mechanisms for localized peace talks, the national government must allow local officials to do it), ” she said.

Mayor Sara  said, for now, in order to resolve the issue of insurgency in other places, the LGU must conduct dialogues with the affected communities and address the problems to lessen the people that will join the NPA.

She added that the LGU might implement the Executive Order 70 or the  Whole of Nation Approach to Attain Sustainable Peace and to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, for them to be guided on how resolve issues on insurgency.

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