MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday supported Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s wish to exclude Davao City from the holiday ceasefire with communist rebels, saying that it will also achieve the same purpose of peace. “That’s the prerogative of the good mayor,” Tolentino, Senate committee chairperson of national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation, said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENT“It will achieve the same purpose (sans foreign-observed ceremonies and timeframes) which is Peace. Sara earlier said that she wants Davao City excluded from the holiday ceasefire with communist rebels, saying that their “duplicitous nature” might come into play and take advantage of the truce. This comes after Sara’s father, President Rodrigo Duterte, approved the recommendation of the government peace panel for a truce over the holidays after he hinted the possibility of reopening peace negotiations with the rebels.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 25, 2019 06:44 UTC