Speaking before the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine
Army in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, President Rodrigo R. Duterte narrated on
Tuesday how his father — also a soldier — retired in Mindanao seeking greener
pastures.
The President also explained why he declared a unilateral
ceasefire with the New Peoples Army (NPA).
“It is not my decision alone. It is the decision of the
Cabinet. Of course, General (Secretary Hermogenes) Esperon and Secretary Delfin
Lorenzana are automatically members of the Cabinet,” Duterte said, referring to
his National Security Adviser and Defense Secretary.
“I am a President that seeks peace with everyone. My job as
President is not to look for trouble but to see to it that there are no
conflicts in the Philippines
The President reiterated his vision of reconciliation for
the country as the conflict in Mindanao has
been ongoing since the early 1970s and the communist-led rebellion has been
around for more than four decades. “I have to talk to the MI (Moro Islamic
Liberation Front) and to the MN (Moro National Liberation Front), to Nur
(Misuari) and (Alhadj) Murad and they are ready to talk about peace. This has
gone too far and for so long. There has been too many lives lost on both
sides,” the President said.
The planned peace talks between the government, the MNLF,
MILF, and the NPA should take place later within the year. “I have no other
dream but to bring peace to my country, if possible. I plead peace with
everybody. I do not want any single loss (of life) either on their side or the
government if possible,” according to Duterte.
Although the President extends a hand of peace to the MNLF
and the MILF, he also wants to be certain that neither group has any ties to
the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) as weapons wielded by the ASG have been traced back
to rogue members of both the MNLF and MILF, as the prospect of peace will not
be possible.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=907718
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