DAVAO CITY – Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Leo Tereso Magno vowed to address the requirements of rebel returnees and their sympathizers in the Davao region and eliminate their inclination to rejoin the lawless communist organization.
MAGNO (second from left). (FB)
“A commitment from the Office of the President, from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao-Eastern (OPAMINE), and a commitment as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS),” Magno said following the first anniversary of an insurgency-free Davao region recently.
He said the rebel returnees’ request is simple – experience the government’s initiatives and actions first-hand.
“We will try our best to give you your rights so that you will no longer go back to lawlessness and stay with us in our nation-building,” Magno said, adding that teamwork among the government, military, and community is vital to finding common ground for peace and development.
He said that achieving peace is not just the job of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police but also of the society as a whole, adding that everyone has a role to play and that everyone should remember that role.
Indigenous Political Structure Executive Council member Tumanuron Boyson Anib Sr. asked forgiveness for the atrocities that they have caused. He said that he regrets joining the armed conflict and the lives lost because of the wrong information that they have received.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte urged former communist rebels and the Indigenous Peoples (IP) community to stay strong in their dedication to preserving an insurgency-free Davao region. He recognized the challenges toward peace and stressed the importance of unity among Filipinos.
Local government officials, military officers, and members of the community signed a pledge to support and sustain peace in the region. The celebration, which was held at Matina Enclaves here, was attended by various government officials.
Davao del Sur was initially declared free from insurgency in the final quarter of 2021. Davao del Norte achieved this status on June 2, 2022, Davao Occidental on June 16, 2022, Davao de Oro on June 20, 2022, Davao City on June 28, 2022, and Davao Oriental on September 19, 2022.