PH gov’t bent on pursuing local peace talks with rebels

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 25, 2023): PH gov’t bent on pursuing local peace talks with rebels (By Benjamin Pulta)

Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (PNA photo by Benjamin Pulta)

MANILA – The Philippine government will continue wooing rebels back to government fold through the continuation of talks in the local level, a move initiated by previous administration.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed with reporters on Tuesday that the recommendation for localized peace talks came from national security experts who see it as a more effective means.

“There would be no more peace talks on the national level. Peace talks will be localized everywhere. That is the advice I have been getting from our national security agencies that are there,” Remulla said.

“(It will be) localized in a sense that all of these groups will be local basis, whether it is the region or province or city, it will be looked upon in that manner. We do not recognize anymore central authority that we have to deal with. We are looking at the local scenario in every place,” he added.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict has identified the localized peace engagement (LPE) as the process to take.

The main essence of the LPE is to reach more group of surrenderers, according to Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr.

Dealing with the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front at the national level has been hampered by several demands from communist rebels, according to authorities.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1206426