ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Three Bishops to lead the peace process with the communist rebels

Friday, 6 March 2020 politics   civil society   peace   armed groups   human rights  

Manila (Agenzia Fides) - Three Catholic Bishops from the Philippines have made themselves available and accepted the challenge of contributing to peace talks with the armed communist rebel movement, New People's Army. As Fides learns, we are talking about three Bishops from the island of Samar in central Philippines: Bishop Crispin Varques of the diocese of Borongan in eastern Samar; Bishop Emmanuel Trance of the diocese of Catarman, northern Samar; Bishop Isabelo Abarquez of the diocese of Calbayog, also in Samar. The three have the task of leading a team that will start new dialogues with the rebels who have expressed their desire to get out of hiding.
The participation of the Bishops in the talks is proof that "the goal of ending the decade-long armed struggle requires a national approach", note Fides sources in the local Church.
Their commitment "sends a sign of optimism and hope to the government and the NPA," said Major Pio Diñoso, commander of the Philippine Army's eighth infantry division. "Church leaders are considered neutral people. They are wise and intelligent enough to understand whether the guerrillas are sincere; they also have knowledge of social issues and have spiritual maturity", said Diñoso.
On February 20, leaders of the government, the Church and civil society approved a resolution designating three Catholic bishops to conduct informal contacts with members of the communist group operating in the region, in order to re-establish communications and then call for new official sessions of the peace process. The decision was taken during the 43rd assembly of the "Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Development" (SIPPAD), an organization composed of representatives from the government, church, and civil society groups from the three provinces of the island of Samar. This organization is one of the 12 groups of the "National Task Force" established to end the armed conflict with the communist rebels. Created in January 2006, SIPPAD meets every three months and includes the Catholic Bishops of the island of Samar together with the governors of the provinces of the island. SIPPAD has become a forum for collective action by the Church, government and civil society to address urgent issues and concerns related to peace and order, good governance, development and the environment in Samar. Some areas of the island are considered NPA strongholds due to poor road network, dense forest, high incidence of poverty and low level of education in mountain communities.
The NPA, which led a five-year armed struggle against the government, is defined a "terrorist organization" by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines. For two and a half years, Rodrigo Duterte's government blocked dialogue with the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The CPP was formed in 1968 and its armed wing, the NPA, was established a year later. The Communist army challenges the government to exploit land, exploit labor, violate human rights, political marginalization and discrimination against local indigenous people. According to the NGOs, the NPA is believed to have approximately 3,700 members, spread mainly in the Visayas islands, in the central Philippines. (SD-PA) (Agenzia Fides, 6/3/2020)


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