IP to Cullamat: Will genuine peace prevail or another scheme to play?

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 17, 2019): IP to Cullamat: Will genuine peace prevail or another scheme to play? (By 3rd SF Battalion, Phil. Army)

"Together, let us end insurgency and commit to peace."

This is the call of the indigenous peoples (IP) community to representative Eufemia “Ka Femia” Campos Cullamat of Bayan Muna who invited the IP mandatory representative (MR), Philippine Army and Surigao del Sur provincial government in a peace dialogue on October 21 at Sitio Simuwao (Kilometer 9), Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

The last dialogue conducted with the militant group Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU) was aimed at convincing Governor Alexander Pimentel to pull-out the community support teams (CSTs) of the 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) citing the rehash false and malicious accusations against the Army personnel who religiously work to attain sustainable peace in the Km. 9 IP community.

They also threatened the governor to stage their usual scripted “Taktikang Bakwit” to hamper the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) and conflict-affected areas (ConAAs) in Andap Valley Complex.

“We greatly hope that this dialogue will be about peace and reflect their sincere support to end local communist armed conflict in the area, not the other way around. It is our fervent prayer that they will not make any scene to trigger any conflict and chaos to discredit our peace and development efforts in the community because we are sincere in what we do for the community. It is also our hope that representative Cullamat will support our community support program or CSP; the aim of the President [Duterte]; and vocally stand firm in condemning the Communist NPA Terrorists," said Hawudon Jumar Bucales, IPMR of Lianga.

This is a test of Cullamat’s genuineness to end the local communist armed conflict. Despite being the sister of a communist NPA terrorist (CNT) leader, Pablito Sinzo Campos alias "Batik," front secretary of GF 21A who was captured by the 3SFBn last 2018 with his M4 rifle, a grenade and subversive documents, should prove and show to the people that being a government official, blood is not thicker than water because the rule of law must always prevail.

Another sister of Cullamat is Bae Gloria Campos Tumalon, chair of Katribo Mo, a non-government organization (NGO) that promotes communist principles as revealed in the statement of Major General Antonio Parlade, Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief-of-staff for civil-military operations.

Peace dialogues should make ends meet. It must promote reconciliation, synergy, convergence, and cooperation among the government and the community to harmoniously resolve basic social delivery services issues used by the CNTs to agitate, organize and mobilize the affected IP community to turn them into rebels.

“Let’s see what happens on October 21, if their peace dialogue invitation is aimed at supporting the peace initiatives of the government and the IP community or just a mere scenario to discredit the whole-of-nation approach to end the insurgency. If they create a scene to hamper the peace efforts of our government, then she is really not for peace. Her own actions and attitude on that event will define her. Deception and commitment to peace are two different things,” Bucales said. (1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan, 3SFBn-CMO/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1028862