Tolentino supports Sara’s wish to exclude Davao City from holiday truce with Reds

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday supported Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s wish to exclude Davao City from the holiday ceasefire with communist rebels, saying that it will also achieve the same purpose of peace.

“That’s the prerogative of the good mayor,” Tolentino, Senate committee chairperson of national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation, said in a statement.

“It will achieve the same purpose (sans foreign-observed ceremonies and timeframes) which is Peace. I support that,” he added.

Sara earlier said that she wants Davao City excluded from the holiday ceasefire with communist rebels, saying that their “duplicitous nature” might come into play and take advantage of the truce.

This comes after Sara’s father, President Rodrigo Duterte, approved the recommendation of the government peace panel for a truce over the holidays after he hinted the possibility of reopening peace negotiations with the rebels.

The nationwide ceasefire started at midnight of Dec. 23, and will be in effect until Jan. 7, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

Tolentino later added:“Again there are national problems with local solutions!”