Fr. Chris Gonzales, Social Action Center director of the Diocese of Bacolod, said yesterday that the Church is more than willing to facilitate the peace talks between the government and the New People’s Army.
As long as we are talking, we don’t think we resort to violence, Gonzales, who spoke in behalf of the revitalized Church Military Police (CMP) Forum- Negros, said yesterday.
Maj. Gen. Dinoh Dolina, Army’s 3rd Infantry Division commander, who was among the signatories of the CMP Forum- Negros memorandum of understanding, said yesterday that the forum could serve as a venue in the pursuit of localized peace talks in Negros.
The help of the Church is crucial in pursuing peace in Negros, Dolina said.
The prospects of localized peace talks with the communist New People’s Army, in consonance with the “whole of nation” approach to end local communist armed conflict, was also recently discussed by PNP chief General Oscar Albayalde with to Manila Archbishop Antonio Cardinal Tagle.
But Gonzales said “ I don’t know if they are willing to listen to the voice of the Church”. But he said the Church is offering services, especially in the intervention on how to achieve peace in Negros.
What we are asking is that both sides ( government forces and NPA) should be sincere in talking peace, Gonzales said, noting that both sides trading accusations of insincerity in the pursuit of lasting peace.
Gonzales also said that he is hoping for an end to extra-judicial killings in Negros.
The four Negros dioceses denounced the spate of killings in Negros, with 21 killed from July 18 to 27 this year.
In the past three weeks of this month, Dolina said murder incidents has significantly dropped, especially in Guihulngan City.
Col. Rizalito Gapas, newly-installed officer-in-charge of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, who was among the signatories of the MOU, said that the peace and order situation in the province is back to normal.
We have not heard of any incident similar to the past, Gapas said.
But he added that NORPPO is doing its best to investigate the incidents, and not to leave a single stone unturned.
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/August/27/topstory4.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.