• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos has issued an appeal between the Philippine government and the New People’s Army (NPA) to conduct peace talks, pledging that the Church stands ready to build an atmosphere of trust by providing a safe and protected environment for all participants.
The Bishop ensured that the Church is fully committed to supporting the pursuit of a just and lasting peace in whatever capacity it can.
Alminaza noted that the ongoing conflict stems from deep-rooted social injustice, which cannot be resolved through purely military means.
He pointed out that the current “arms against arms” approach only perpetuates a cycle of retaliation and violence between the two sides.
To truly end the bloodshed, the Bishop urged both parties to return to the peace talks and address the fundamental causes of the insurgency.
“We must discuss how to face this because the problem we see is not just personal, but has become systemic and structural in its flaws,” the Bishop said.
He added that while the Church is fully willing to support and facilitate the process, the primary responsibility and capacity to push for formal negotiations lie with the government and the NPA.*
