Duterte cooperating with militants will help bring peace—Ocampo

Former Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

President Duterte’s willingness to cooperate with militant groups will bear good fruit in the peace and order situation of the country, said former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo.

“[A]ng diwa ngayon ay ‘yung kasiglahan na bukas-palad na nag-aanyaya si President Duterte na lumapit kami dito ngayon sa pagpapahayag at makinig sa kanyang sasabihin at pakikinggan din niya ‘yung mga ihahaing mga kahilingan (The essence here is the President Duterte is generously inviting us to listen to what he will say and what he wants)… National, regions, sectoral,” the former Bayan rep. said.

Duterte, according to Ocampo, is the first President to acknowledge communists and defended them to “have their reasons.”

READ: Duterte announces unilateral ceasefire with communist rebels

Ocampo said the militant group is in all-out support to Duterte as long as he is committed to pursue the change he promised.

“[T]itingnan naming kung hindi magbabago ang kanyang posisyon sa mga nauuna niyang pangako na makikipagtulungan sa kabila para sa pagbabago (We will see if he will alter his position on his earlier promise with helping the others towards change),” the 77-year-old leader said.

Land owners, entrepreneurs, and foreigners are the conservatives opposed to the change the President wants, which arouse conflicts, Ocampo added.

People’s Agenda for Change include the social and economic reform agenda in peace talks.

“Inaasahan na seryosong gagampanan ng gobyerno at NDF ang tungkulin, masusing pag-aaralan ang situwasyon (We are counting on the government and NDF to perform their duties, scrupulously study the situation),” he added. Kirsten Jamilla, INQUIRER.net trainee/JE

RELATED VIDEOS