An official of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the
Peace Process (OPAPP) on Tuesday warned the existence of groups that might
sabotage the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic
Front (NDF).
Speaking at an engagement here, OPAPP Assistant Secretary
Dickson Hermoso claimed that he received intelligence reports that certain
armed groups would pretend as New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and burn road
equipment and instigate other lawless acts, trademarks of NPA actions in the
past.
Hermoso, a retired Philippine Army general, said bandits and
ordinary extortionists are taking advantage of the peace talks for their own
interests and to destroy the ongoing peace process of the government and the
rebel groups in the country.
“For instance, I have received reports that the burning of a
heavy equipment in Davao del Sur and the owner of that equipment received an
extortion letter purportedly from the NPA,” he said.
Hermoso said he has asked law enforcers to check the sender
"because I could sense that somebody was out to destroy the credibility of
the NDF’s quest for a lasting peace in the country".
To verify allegations of atrocities reportedly committed by
the NPA and government forces, an interim monitoring team tasked to investigate
the reports should be created, he said.
Hermoso was invited to a forum organized by “Balay Mindanaw”
in celebration of the International Day of Peace on Wednesday.
“Balay Mindanaw" is working towards peace-building and
the resolution of conflicts in Northern Mindanao .
It expands dialogue with the government, non-government representatives,
interfaith groups and the security sector.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=924552
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