BAUKO, Mountain Province – Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza underscored the national government should reward the Cordillerans for embracing peace for three decades now as its leverage to convince national leaders to grant the long overdue clamor of the people for autonomy towards federalism.
While recognizing the fact that the national government tend to immediately recognize those who create noise through armed struggle, Secretary Dureza pointed out that the Cordillerans should not be left out in the equation because they opted to sustain peace after the signing of the historic Mount Data peace agreement and remain committed to lasting peace to possibly gain the similar recognition from the national leaders.
The Palace official urged Cordillerans not to be disappointed by the lesser attention being given to them by the national government because most of the time of the national leaders are spent in conflict-stricken areas in a bid to achieve lasting peace in the country.
Dureza assured Cordillera leaders that he is now currently arranging a meeting with President Rodrigo R. Duterte for concerned stakeholders to bring to his attention the need for him to certify the filed autonomy law of the Cordillera alongside the Bangsa Moro Basic Law which is being finalized by the Bangsa Moro Transition Commission.
“I have already texted the President regarding the request of the Cordillera leaders to have an audience with him. I will get back to them as soon as I have received his positive response in the coming weeks. I will Also personally discuss the matter with him as soon as I find time to do it considering his hectic schedule this month,” Dureza stressed.
The peace adviser commended the six factions of the fragmented Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) and other civil society groups for taking the initiative of patching up their previous differences with a unified goal of achieving regional autonomy amidst the region’s diversed culture.
According to him, there is nothing wrong with diversity as long as everyone is working for a common goal in autonomy then there will be surely be light at the end of the tunnel.
He advised Cordillera leaders and civil society groups to recognize the existence of diversity among the tribes, the presence of differences among them and strive for reconciliation leading towards a common goal which will be the realization of the establishment of an autonomous region that will partly address the injustices of the national government over the region.
Secretary Dureza explained the establishment of the autonomous region will not solve all the problems of the region, thus, there will still be a continuing struggle which the people should share in a bid to live with the system that will be established for the benefit of the present ad future generations of Cordillerans.
The Palace aide challenged Cordillerans to continue making noise in the national scene regarding the region’s renewed quest for regional autonomy but the noise should not be through violence means but through peaceful means to convince the national government that it is high time for the national leaders to grant the desired autonomous status in the future.
By HENT
