THE Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) said Friday that the government remains open to negotiation with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and other rebel groups.
“The government is open to anyone for dialogue,” Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said during a press conference in Pasig City.
He noted that negotiation remains an option as long as there is mutual agreement on the agenda and that there are no hidden agendas.
“The government is very serious. If someone wants to talk peace with us, they must have the same pure intention and no hidden agenda,” Sarmiento added.
Opapru expressed optimism in 2024 that peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF will be finalized before the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term in 2028.
Sarmiento said dialogue is a viable alternative to peace considering the economic toll of internal armed conflict, stressing it drains public funds that could have been used for social services, education, health care, and infrastructure.
Sarmiento cited how ending internal conflict enabled nations like South Korea and Vietnam to boost economic development.
“When South Korea’s conflict ended in 1953, they focused entirely on their economy and development. Today, they have leaped ahead,” Sarmiento said, noting that the Philippines even assisted in rebuilding South Korea decades ago.
“Vietnam’s internal conflict ended in 1975, and despite economic challenges, they focused on growth because they no longer had internal conflicts,” he added.
Sarmiento reported a decrease in active conflict zones in the Philippines.
“If we look at the numbers, it is now very small across the Philippines,” he said, attributing the development to the “whole-of-government, whole-of-society” approach to peacebuilding.
Sarmiento said that Marcos hoped that peace with rebel groups will be part of his legacy.
