From the Sun Star-Davao (Sep 24): Military ends ops in lumad communities
GUNS now seem to point at the real enemies as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) vowed to stop operations on suspected rebel areas which also put at stake the lives of the indigenous people (IP) who live nearby.
On Friday's peace forum at the Holy Cross of Davao College (Hcdc), Anakpawis Party-list Representative Ariel Casilao said AFP Chief General Ricardo Visaya told him that five of their battalions assigned in the Eastern Mindanao were re-assigned to Jolo, Sulu to focus on bombarding the terror group Abu Sayyaf instead.
Casilao said that according to the AFP chief two other battalions based in Central Mindanao have also been commanded to divert their attention to the Abu Sayyaf Group atrocities.
These, according to Casilao, are among the developments that the previous administrations failed to deliver.
"They failed to fulfill the mandate and provision written in both declarations of previous agreements," he said.
This includes the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Government of the Philippines.
"These kinds of agreements are fundamental. They are formed to really achieve peace that is based on social justice," Casilao cited, adding that administrations preceding President Rodrigo Duterte's failed when they preferred the road to war, counter-insurgency operations.
Meanwhile, Visaya has also said during his conversation with Casilao that the Oplan Bayanihan, a community-approach in targeting rebel groups, ended.
"Visaya said it is supposed to end in December 2016," Casilao said.
He added that Duterte's policy direction superseded his and they have ended it right away.
"The President said, if we must talk peace then we should cease to implement the last phase of Oplan Bayanihan," Casilao said.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2016/09/24/military-ends-ops-lumad-communities-499703
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