Sara Duterte sets peace body in motion

FILE: If these NPA commanders will ask her to personally meet them in the boondocks before the formal talks, Duterte-Carpio said she would be willing to do so. (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

DAVAO CITY — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio convened the Davao City Peace Committee (DCPC) to set the guidance in holding local peace talks with the New People’s Army (NPA).

During the meeting, the DCPC identified the three top Red commanders in Davao area with whom the committee can reach out for negotiation.

Duterte-Carpio said the three top NPA commanders operating in Davao were named during the preliminary meeting of the DCPC Tuesday to lay down initial plans before going full blast in the peace talks.

If these NPA commanders will ask her to personally meet them in the boondocks before the formal talks, Duterte-Carpio said she would be willing to do so.

“There is no problem with that,” she added.

The city mayor, however, begged off to name the three. She said the DCPC has tasked a member to reach out to the commanders, whose operating area covers boundaries of Marilog in Davao City – North Cotabato-Bukidnon, and Paquibato in Davao City and Davao del Norte.

“This can change but we will be reaching out to them,” she said.

She said this will be one concern to be settled by DCPC since the local peace talks with the NPA cover only Davao City area.

Among the other initial preparation is holding a peace building workshop of all members to let them understand all about peace negotiations and how to initiate peace talks.

Duterte-Carpio said she will be writing a letter to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) informing Secretary Jesus Dureza of the local peace talks given that the secretary has already expressed no support to the city’s initiative.

The city mayor emphasized there is no law that prohibits any local peace engagements. She said there is a provision in the Local Government Code that LGUs can go about the local peace process.

The mayor’s chief-of-staff Atty Raul Nadela stressed the local talks is complementary to national peace negotiations rather than antagonistic.

The mayor has also taken in former government peace negotiator Irene Santiago as technical consultant to the DCPC, which is composed of retired judge Ridgway Tanjili as chair, City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) head Ma. Luisa Bermudo, Lawyer Eliza Lapeña from the City Legal Office, Captain Joselito Areja of Barangay Malabog and Davao City Archbishop Romulo Valles.

Duterte-Carpio said she considered Santiago’s experience in peace building and as former peace negotiator under OPAPP.

The mayor cited the suggestions of Santiago during the preliminary meeting such as the peace building workshop.

In a press conference Tuesday, Tanjili said that during the preliminary meeting the mayor has given them guidance on how to move forward.

“Basically, the instruction is to work for the attainment of peace agreements with members of the progressive groups – the New People’s Army,” Tanjili said.

Archbishp Valles said there is no set date yet on the first peace talks.

“We are still organizing ourselves,’ he said. He said the DCPC still need to identify names in the NPA with whom to deal with. Valles said the workshop is also important to refresh them on peace building.

“This is internal among ourselves,” he told reporters.

Santiago also underscored the importance of knowing the situation on the ground.

Santiago recommended data gathering such as what are the grievances that led to violence.

“This is not just bringing down the level of violence but going to the source of violence,” she said.

(Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)