Ceasefire in Mindanao shows police, soldiers’ commitment to peace

OPPAP Media Bureau

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos-Deles on Thursday said that the ceasefire agreement that has been holding well in Mindanao is the best testament to the government forces’ commitment to peace.

“Marahil ay isang patunay ng katapatan ng ating mga sundalo at pulis sa kapayapaan ay ang ceasefire agreement sa gitna ng gobyerno at ng MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) na maayos na ipinapatupad sa Mindanao ng maraming taon na (Perhaps, the ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF is a testament to our police and soldiers’ commitment to peace),” she stated during her opening address today at the Mindanao Peace Process Dialogue held at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Deles expressed hope that the ceasefire with the communist forces will also hold well.

“Inaasahan natin na ganoon rin magiging ganap ang “Christmas Ceasefire” sa gitna ng gobyerno at ng NPA (New People’s Army) na magsisimula sa ika-16 ng Disyembre (We hope that the Christmas Ceasefire between the government and the NPA beginning Dec. 16 will also be carried out),” she said.

The peace adviser lauded the “men and women in uniform” for putting the primacy of the peace process as they go about their work on the ground.

She related government chief negotiator Marvic Leonen’s experience in visiting some of the military commanders in Mindanao as encouraging as he has “personally seen and heard” how many of military and police forces “echo the primacy of the peace process as an overarching policy – even a battlecry.”

“Matatawag natin ang isa’t-isa bilang mga partners in building peace, kalakip hindi lamang ang pagtitiwala at katapatan, kung di ang karangalan (We can call each other partners in building peace, not just with confidence and sincerity, but with pride),” she told representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) attending the dialogue.

Deles stressed how important is building peace on the ground and in the communities. “Naniniwala ako na ito ay isang bagay na maaari nating pagtulung-tulungan (I believe that this is another area where we can work together) – close the gap between what happens at the negotiating table and what happens in the communities affected by conflict,” she said.

“We believe that these efforts will help to provide an environment conducive for the talks and help gain support and trust of all the stakeholders in the peace process,” Deles stated, hoping that dialogue partners on the other side of the negotiating table will agree to work with the government and other stakeholders to bring development to communities while building common ground to end the roots of armed conflict.

The Mindanao Process Dialogue aims to enhance the inter-operability as well as the relationship between the PNP, AFP and OPAPP by arriving at a common understanding of the overall peace and order situation in Mindanao and Palawan.

The dialogue likewise intends to guide the government security forces in enhancing their strategies in the region, as well as provide the peace panel general issues that need to be considered on the negotiating table.

Also in attendance were Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jesse Robredo; National Security Council (NSC) adviser Cesar Garcia, Jr.; Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Raul Calabzo; peace panel Chair Marvic Leonen; and panel members Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and Mayor Ramon Piang, Sr.