Davao del Norte – Top defense and security officials backed up the local peace initiative of the provincial government to end communist insurgency in Davao del Norte.
Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. said his office is giving all-out support to the Davao del Norte Local Peace Engagement Framework.
“We are happy. I would like to thank Gov. Edwin Jubahib for the initiative and OPAPP will throw more than a hundred percent support to his (peace efforts), Galvez said.
Pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70, the governor signed on Monday Executive Order No. 2, creating Task Force Davao del Norte to end local communist armed conflict in the province.
The document also adopted the national peace framework pursuant to the president’s “whole-of-nation" approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace.
Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana also expressed his strong backing to the trailblazing effort, which pushes for a more significant role of the provincial government in ending hostilities in the locality.
Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesperson Lt. Col. Jake Obligado further revealed Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año approved the local peace framework, after Jubahib presented the document to the latter while waiting for the arrival of the president in Tagum City Tuesday evening.
The president turned-over 300 housing units to former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in a village dubbed as Freedom Residences.
The army official disclosed the interior secretary intends to replicate Davao del Norte’s peace initiative to other regions and provinces around the country.
Together with 10th ID Commander MGen. Jose Faustino, Jubahib earlier presented 34 rebel returnees to Lorenzana and Galvez at the Capitol.
Witnessing the event were Davao del Norte 1st District Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez, Davao del Oro 2nd District Congressman Ruwel Peter Gonzaga.
The officials vowed to deliver health, livelihood, education and housing assistance, among other basic services, to start new lives.
“Amo kamong hatagan sa tinud-anay nga suporta para magpuyo mo nga malinawon kuyog ang katawhan sa probinsya sa Davao del Norte (We will give you genuine support so you can live peacefully and successfully reintegrate into the mainstream of the Dabaonon society),” Jubahib said.
