Davao Peace Committee to convene Tuesday

DAVAO CITY – Members of the Davao City Peace Committee (DCPC), a body created by City Mayor Sara Duterte tasked with engaging Communist rebels here for localized peace talks, will convene on Tuesday, October 24, according to Davao City Archbishop Romulo Valles.

This was disclosed by Valles, a DCPC member, in a press conference on at the last day of the four-day Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference (MSPC) at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao, saying that a sit-down conference with the rebels will always be a welcome development rather than resorting to armed conflict.

He said the first meeting on Tuesday will be more of an “organizational meeting” and will allow them to know the other members of the committee.

The prelate, incoming president of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) who will assume office on December 1, said he believes he was tapped to join the negotiation because the City Government “sees the moral influence of the church, that the church has the good of everyone as her interest.”

“Those in the mountains and those on the ground are also sons and daughters of God. That’s a very important interest walang hidden agenda ang church (the church has no hidden agenda) except that interest is for the peace, development and well-being of each one will be achieved,” he added.

“I, with consultation, said yes to invitation. Strong implication is that gisaligan pa intawonangsimbahan. Naa pa syay influence, ginapaminaw pa angiyang voice (there is still trust in the church. It has the influence and its voice is being listened to),” he said.