ANTI-INSURGENCY MEETING. Key officials listen to question from the media during a meeting on Thursday (Jan. 23, 2020) that tackled efforts to end local communist insurgency in Eastern Visayas at the Department of the Interior and Local Government regional office in Tacloban City. In photo (from left to right) are Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso III, Northern Samar Governor Edwin Oncgchuan, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. (PNA photo by Sarwell Meniano)
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has urged local government units (LGUs) to pursue community consultation and localized peace talks as a strategy to end the decades-long insurgency in their provinces.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials of the Eastern Visayas regional task force on ending the local communist insurgency on Thursday, Esperon said localized peace talks have been yielding good results in several provinces.
“There may not be a need anymore for national peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front since we are doing it at the local level. The results are simply coming in faster than the national peace talks,” Esperon said during a press briefing at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional office here.
Consultations and localized peace talks have been yielding results in Leyte, Panay, Negros, Surigao, Agusan, Davao, Zamboanga, and Bukidnon.
This development would not happen if done at the national level since there are many conditions set by the NPA leadership, whose ultimate goal is to establish a coalition government, according to Esperon.
“They have been demanding socio-economic reforms at the national level, which have been implemented by local government units. We can go local and talk among ourselves to understand each other better,” he added.
In Leyte alone, 262 former New People’s Army fighters and die-hard supporters surrendered to the local government last year through localized peace talks.
As of this posting, former rebels are set to receive PHP6.25-million assistance from the central government and PHP2.69 from the provincial government. President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to arrive Thursday afternoon to lead distribution in San Isidro, Leyte.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, the chair of the Eastern Visayas regional peace and order council, has expressed support to community dialogue and localized talks saying these are “viable approaches.”
“We believe that these approaches will contribute to ensuring peace and development in our province,” Evardone said.
Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso III said there are ongoing local peace talks in Samar provinces after some rebels expressed their intention to surrender.
“Some local leaders are willing to talk to the government and help in our campaign to capture remaining fighters,” Diñoso added.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
As of October 2019, the NPA in Eastern Visayas has 506 active members and 447 firearms, infiltrating the region's 144 remote villages, the Philippine Army reported.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091739
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials of the Eastern Visayas regional task force on ending the local communist insurgency on Thursday, Esperon said localized peace talks have been yielding good results in several provinces.
“There may not be a need anymore for national peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front since we are doing it at the local level. The results are simply coming in faster than the national peace talks,” Esperon said during a press briefing at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional office here.
Consultations and localized peace talks have been yielding results in Leyte, Panay, Negros, Surigao, Agusan, Davao, Zamboanga, and Bukidnon.
This development would not happen if done at the national level since there are many conditions set by the NPA leadership, whose ultimate goal is to establish a coalition government, according to Esperon.
“They have been demanding socio-economic reforms at the national level, which have been implemented by local government units. We can go local and talk among ourselves to understand each other better,” he added.
In Leyte alone, 262 former New People’s Army fighters and die-hard supporters surrendered to the local government last year through localized peace talks.
As of this posting, former rebels are set to receive PHP6.25-million assistance from the central government and PHP2.69 from the provincial government. President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to arrive Thursday afternoon to lead distribution in San Isidro, Leyte.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, the chair of the Eastern Visayas regional peace and order council, has expressed support to community dialogue and localized talks saying these are “viable approaches.”
“We believe that these approaches will contribute to ensuring peace and development in our province,” Evardone said.
Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso III said there are ongoing local peace talks in Samar provinces after some rebels expressed their intention to surrender.
“Some local leaders are willing to talk to the government and help in our campaign to capture remaining fighters,” Diñoso added.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
As of October 2019, the NPA in Eastern Visayas has 506 active members and 447 firearms, infiltrating the region's 144 remote villages, the Philippine Army reported.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091739
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