The Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) said former President Fidel V. Ramos' commitment to attaining true and lasting peace through principled negotiations during his presidency will always shine as bright honors to the Filipino people.
"His legacy as a minted member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who heeded the clamor of the people at EDSA and his subsequent commitment to attaining true and lasting peace through principled negotiations during his presidency will always shine as bright honors to the Filipino people," the group said in a statement.
PEPP said it was during his presidency that the Office of the Presidential Advisor for the Peace Process (OPAPP) was created as well as the National Unification Commission (NUC).
"We will always admire the quality of understanding he forged for the Peace Process that included confidence building measures and establishing formal joint negotiating frameworks for the different peace talks that the Government pursued," said the group.
PEPP said It was also during Ramos' term as president that the Hague Joint Declaration was formally signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which guided the peace process between these two parties through succeeding administrations.
That's why the group mourned the passing of Ramos last July 31.
"We mourn the loss of an outstanding statesman for peace. An individual who would always welcome peace advocates to his office, an advocate who would travel and give time to speak to venues near and far about peace, and a kind humble human being who lived and dreamed to see peace prevail throughout the Philippines," said PEPP.
"We will continue to uphold the trust and belief he placed in pursuing formal peace talks with various groups seeking different aspirations through arms.
We will forever hold in our hearts the spirit of perseverance he sustained in pursuing peace by principled dialogue," the group added.
The PEPP is a platform for five church institutions/groups, namely, the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP) with organizations of Religious, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) and the Ecumenical Bishops' Forum (EBF), in working for a just and enduring peace by supporting the peace process between the GRP-NDFP.