Galvez: Local peace engagements, the best way to peace with the Reds

PASIG CITY – Local peace engagements (LPEs) being carried out throughout the country under the Duterte Administration’s Whole-of-Nation Approach have proven to be highly effective in achieving enduring peace, social justice, and development. Through LPEs, the government is demonstrating its strong resolve and decisiveness to put an end to the local communist armed conflict by directly addressing the roots of the armed rebellion and involving all national and local government agencies together with key stakeholders - including the rebels themselves. Operationalized through Executive Order No. 70, the Whole-of-Nation Approach has likewise emphasized the need for greater synergy in the delivery of much-needed government services to remote, underdeveloped, conflict-affected areas across the nation to improve the general welfare and well-being of the people. In light of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s recent ceasefire declaration with the Communist Party of the Philippines/ New People’s Army/ National Democratic Front (CPP-NPANDF), there are those who believe the truce will sustain the gains achieved through the LPEs. “We support President Duterte’s wish to ensure a peaceful holiday season for Filipinos and particularly all the combatants. May this act of goodwill be considered by the other side as a step towards finally putting an end to the armed violence,” Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. said in a statement. Galvez, however, urged everyone to exercise caution in negotiating peace with the rebels. He recalled incidents in the past when ceasefires where blatantly violated and exploited by the left in order to push forward their agenda. “As peace talks were being held at the national level, attacks were being carried out by the rebels. In short, there have already been precedents. We have to be prepared and make sure that such incidents are prevented at all costs,” Galvez said. The former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff has

joined a chorus of officials who feel that the resumption of peace talks between the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF may put the latter at a disadvantage. Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio cautioned the Duterte Administration to always keep its guard up and learn from the lessons of the past, especially how the rebels have openly cast aside several ceasefire agreements as they launched attacks on government forces. “Why the past peace negotiations sorely failed could only be blamed on the countless criminal acts and treachery of NDFP-CPP-NPA — displayed even during times when ceasefires were supposed to be in place,” Duterte-Carpio said in a statement. “As spoilers of peace, we believe that the Christmas truce will be used by the terrorist groups as an opportunity to regain communities previously cleared of their presence, consolidate their forces, and derail the progress of existing government rural development projects,” she noted.