Different agencies welcome PBBM admin’s peace initiative with NDF, back ending decades-long insurgency – Presidential Communications Office

Different government agencies expressed support on Tuesday for the Joint Communique agreed upon by the Marcos administration and the National Democratic Front (NDF) aimed at ending the decades-long communist armed conflict in the country.

In announcing the Oslo Joint Communique, Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that it is a significant milestone in the Filipino people’s quest to achieve peace, reconciliation, and unity.

With the joint communiqué and the issuance of the joint statement, Galvez said that there will be some sort of collective positions between parties that they are very firm and committed to have a final discussions on the final peace agreement.

For his part, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said that although the joint communiqué still has no immediate effect on the ground, an eventual peace pact with the rebels will eliminate the basis for them to wage armed struggle in the country.

“Gusto ko lang maidagdag siguro na kapag itong usapin na ito ay magbunga sa isang kasunduan, mawawala ang final ostensible political basis na mang-wage ang grupo na nag-i- espouse ng CPP-NPA-NDF line for any armed struggle. That will be erased, the political basis for it. So it is important,” Teodoro said.

For the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said that the joint communiqué is very good news for the military “because it is the soldier, more than anybody else, who wants lasting peace.”

“Kasi nga po para sa amin, parang naging personal na itong laban na ito. Marami sa aming kasamahan ang namatay dahil dito sa insurgency na ito. Marami sa aming kamag-anak, pinsan ko mismo, namatay sa kamay ng New People’s Army,” Brawner said.

“So, this is really a personal victory for us, and aside from that, if this conflict will finally end, your Armed Forces of the Philippines will be able to shift our focus on external or territorial defense. So, iyong amin pong resources, efforts, will be poured into defending our territory,” stated Brawner.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda also welcomed the recent communiqué between the government and the NDF, hoping this will lead to an actual peace