An ecumenical peace movement of Church leaders in the Philippines expressed dismay over the new defense secretary’s refusal to pursue talks with the communists.
The Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) reminded defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro that heightened counter-insurgency campaigns bring about more violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
“As church leaders, we are consistent in our belief that an all-out-war policy will not resolve the decades-old armed conflict and it will be more costly in terms of the loss of lives and the budget for war materiel,” PEPP said in a statement.
Last week, Teodoro said his “personal position” about the peace process with the communist rebels could be “the position of the security cluster at this time.” Teodoro was former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s defense secretary from 2007 to 2009.
PEPP said more than a decade since Teodoro first held the position, “a just and enduring peace is still as elusive as ever.” The group said the government should spend resources “on poverty alleviation and sustainable development” instead of waging war against fellow Filipinos.
The faith group renewed its appeal for the resumption of the peace negotiations between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.
It also urged both sides to respect the work and uphold the agreements “that have been entered into by past leadership”.
The peace negotiations gained momentum during the early months of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte with rounds of talks being conducted in Europe. It was, however, terminated by the national government in 2017.
