Army not giving up on local peace talks

From the Visayan Daily Star (Dec 30): Army not giving up on local peace talks

Despite repeated rejections from the National Democratic Front, the military in Visayas is not giving up onlocalized peace talks, as it continues to urge local government units to pursue it.

Brig. Gen. DinohDolina, newly-installed commander of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, said yesterday that he is not only encouraging, but is even more than willing to facilitate the localized peace talks.

The peace talks between the national government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines collapsed for the nth time, as President Rodrigo Duterte declared the CPP-NPA a “terrorist organization”.

“I believe LGUs should pursue it, and we will facilitate,” Dolina, who replaced yesterday Maj. Gen. Jon Aying as 3ID commander, in a change of command ceremony presided over by Army chief Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista at Camp Macario Peralta here.

Aying bows out from the military service, two days before his mandatory age retirement of 56 on Dec. 31. He has served the Armed Forces of the Philippines for more than 37 years.

Dolina who said he shares the sentiments of Maj. Gen. Aying that every body wants peace. “We can do it without shedding of blood”, he said.

NDF-Negros spokesman Frank Fernandez has repeatedly opposed the localized peace talks, dismissing it in issued statements, as part of the “divide and rule tactics” of the AFP and Philippine government.

Aying, an adopted Negrense, meanwhile,was conferred yesterday with the Distinguished Service Star by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in recognition of his peace and development efforts in Western and Central Visayas, especially in Negros Island, where he had served as commander of the 61st Infantry Battalion and 303rd Infantry Brigade, respectively.

Lt. Gen. Bautista enjoined Dolina to continue the peace and development programs of Aying, that should be emulated.

Aying expressed his gratitude tothe all-out cooperation of local government officials in the 10 provinces of Visayas, where the 3ID infantry units are assigned to maintain peace and order in the countryside.

In his stint as 3ID commander for more than 13 months, Aying managed to bring closer the relationship between the military and church authorities in two Visayas regions, and was also able to harness the help of peace advocates and other stakeholders in bringing the desired security and basic services to the people, the military said.

Six of the 10 provinces in Western and Central Visayas were declared insurgency-free, while four others were declared as peaceful and ready for further development, military records show.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2017/December/30/topstory5.htm