“Ang issue ng rebelyon, local. Hindi po yan international (Rebellion is a local issue, not an international one).”
Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla stressed this Monday as he threw his full support behind localized peace talks with communist rebels.
Padilla also voiced his support for institutionalizing the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
“Sa usapang pupunta pa ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas sa ibang bansa at doon tayo mag-peace talks, nagawa na po namin yan at walang nangyari. Para sa akin hindi na dapat ito. Pwede siguro ang localized peace talks kasi nagawa na natin at successful (The Philippine government already tried going abroad to hold peace talks. Nothing has happened so this should no longer be the case. However, I am in favor of localized peace talks because it has been successful),” Padilla said in an interview with media on Monday.
“Nagawa natin ang international, may pumupunta at may namamagitan. Pero gastos lang po yan, huwag na po yan (We have taken the international route where government officials went abroad and where third parties have intervened. It has proven to be a waste of money),” he added.
Also, Padilla said the NTF-ELCAC has done well in bringing development projects to areas cleared of the influence of the New People’s Army (NPA).
He added he has been a witness to the success of peace talks at the localized level.
“Ang NTF-ELCAC naging mukha tayo niyan noong tayo nasa Philippine Army. Naging mukha tayo niyan nang tayo pumupunta sa malalayong lugar, nakikipagusap tayo ay nag-welcome sa mga nag-surrender. Ito pabor ako rito. Isa ito sa mga programa ng gobyerno na napakaganda (I have served as a face of the NTF-ELCAC as a member of the Army. I have gone to remote areas and welcomed surrenderees. So I am in favor of the NTF-ELCAC, which is a very good program of the government),” he said.
