Remaining CPLA-CBA unite to support Cordillera Autonomy

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 28): Remaining CPLA-CBA unite to support Cordillera Autonomy

The Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army – Cordillera Bodong Association (CPLA-CBA) finally showed their united force in telling the government to grant the Cordillera the regional autonomy it has long been pursuing.

This happened during consultation entitled “Pioneer Cordillera Champions Coming Together Moving Forward for Autonomy Towards Federalism,” held on Monday at the historic Mount Data Hotel in this town with Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Jesus Dureza.

Dureza urged the various groups and entities from the different provinces in the Cordillera region to unite to attain the regional status during the consultation organized by the Regional Development Council – Cordillera in collaboration with the OPAPP to explore the re-engagement of the advocates for Cordillera Autonomy in reinforcing the RDCs Roadmap for achieving autonomy towards federalism.

Dureza assured that the Duterte Administration is supportive of the pursuit of autonomy in the Cordillera region and also in the Bangsamoro of Mindanao, as he encouraged the whole of the Cordillera region regardless of culture, tradition, belief and other aspect to unite to show that they are one in pursuing regional autonomy.

“In the Cordillera region, madaming grupo, mayroon pang nagkawatak watak and we can understand that since the Cordillera has a very diverse culture, people and tradition; there should be one united effort from by all towards autonomy in the Cordillera region,” the Secretary said.

During the event, leaders and representatives from the various factions of the CPLA with its political arm the CBA, voiced out their support to the pursuit of the regional autonomy in the Cordillera region

Despite the CPLA-CBA coming from the different factions, CBA President Andres Ngao-i of Kalinga said they are one in supporting the autonomy status for the Cordillera region.

“We are not only a supporter of the fight for autonomy but we are reminders of the national government of the agreement of the CPLA with the government in attaining the autonomous status of the region,” Ngao-I added.

“We, the CBA-CPLA, are claiming from the government for their part particularly in granting the autonomous status for the Cordillera region which was part of the written agreement and signed in the historic Mount Data Hotel in 1986 with then President Corazon Aquino and the CPLA led by Father Conrado Balweg.”

“We want to be united, we want to return the time of Father Balweg when we are one group fighting for the Cordillera region,” he added.

Among the CPLA leaders present who shared their thoughts were Conrad Dieza, former Mayor Mailed Molina and the Cosagon faction.

Ngao-I informed that the CBA as the political arm of the CPLA and neutral to the different factions, will form a technical working group to study and strategize how to unify the different CPLA factions in the coming weeks.

More than a hundred CPA members came to the event and expressed their support to the pursuit of Cordillera autonomy.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/41493374223/remaining-cpla-cba-unite-to-support-cordillera-autonomy