Bishops hail peace talks resumption

Catholic bishops have welcomed President Duterte’s order to resume stalled peace talks with communist insurgents, albeit with preconditions.

Ozamis Archbishop Martin Jumoad said that any move towards peace “was always well appreciated.”

“Where there is peace, there is development. In fact, Pope Paul VI says that the other name of peace is development,” he said on Friday.

Marawi Bishop Edwin dela Peña said Mr. Duterte’s heart seemed to have “softened somewhat” in favor of peace.

“Dialogue is the way to resolve our problems,” he added.

Ceasefire first

The prelates made the remarks following the President’s directive to the Cabinet to work for the resumption of the talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

Mr. Duterte, however, wants the rebels to agree to a ceasefire first before the talks can start.

The President canceled the peace talks last year, following na series of attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philipppines (CPP).

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo also welcomed Mr. Duterte’s recent move and urged the government to withdraw its petition asking a court to declare the CPP-NPA and 600 individual terrorists.

Rev. Rex Reyes Jr., general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, said that such a list is “a potential threat to human rights defenders, peace advocates and leaders of indigenous peoples.”