President Rodrigo Duterte might soon put the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process under military control, the Communist Party of the Philippines said Wednesday, following the sudden resignation of Jesus Dureza and the termination of two of his senior officials.
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CPP founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison said it is possible that Duterte would order the military to “take over” the OPPAP by appointing another former military official to replace Dureza.
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“The real issue may not be corruption but Duterte trying to put OPAPP under military control, occupation, and corruption,” he said in an online interview from the Netherlands.
Sison said Duterte might order outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez to spend his post-military career as the head of OPAPP.
“The problem is when the military comes in, they impose conditions for the surrender of the New People’s Army,” he added.
National Democratic Front of the Philippines’ peace consultant Satur Ocampo admitted that seeing a former military official at the negotiating table between the government and communists would not be good.
“A peace negotiation where the military will have the last say is not going to result in an acceptable agreement,” Ocampo, a former Bayan Muna Party-list representative, told the ANC news channel.
Last week, the AFP chief said he personally told Dureza his plan to become a peace consultant weeks before his retirement.
“I personally conveyed my request to OPAPP and I told Secretary Dureza, ‘Can I be some sort of consultant?’ So, he accepted my request,” he said. Galvez is set to leave his post for retirement on Dec. 12.
In his previous remarks, Duterte has explained that he preferred to designate former military men in his Cabinet as they get the job done without much debate.
On Tuesday, Duterte himself announced that he accepted Dureza’s resignation as the latter took responsibility for the alleged corruption of two of OPAPPS’ senior officials Undersecretary for support services Ronald Flores and Assistant Secretary Yeshter Donn Baccay.
“I am sad because, despite my efforts to be compliant with your strong advocacy against corruption, I failed,” he said.
Asked if Dureza will be moved for another post in the government, the President said the resigned OPAPP chief “did not ask for anything.”
And even if Dureza had asked, there will be no place left for him as all the seats in his Cabinet are filled up.
The Palace on Wednesday commended Dureza for resigning and apologizing for allegations of corruption committed by two of his subordinates, who have been sacked.
“We commend the former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process for taking full responsibility and issuing an apology under the principle of command responsibility for the transgressions committed by his two subordinates,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press statement.
“His resignation has set a concrete example and put a true meaning to the value of delicadeza and morality in governance. This is leadership by example,” he added.
Panelo thanked Dureza for his services, particularly in his efforts to advance government efforts to resolve challenges to peace.
“We take this occasion to thank Secretary Dureza for the services he rendered to the nation, particularly under the Duterte administration, where he assisted the President in walking the extra mile in advancing peace for the good of our nation and all Filipinos,” Panelo said.
Panelo also described the firing of Flores and Baccay as a “warning to all government officials that no person is exempted from the administration’s high and exacting standards of honesty in public service.”
“Their termination also underscores that the President remains resolute in stamping out corruption in the bureaucracy, which includes offices which are specialized in particular fields of governance,” Panelo said.
“Like the war on drugs, the war on corruption must be fought unremittingly,” he added.
On Tuesday, Dureza said he was stepping down from his post to allow a “needed reorganization” within the OPAPP.
“I truly am sad that OPAPP, as an institution which I head, had to suffer publicly due to the acts of a few. Nonetheless, I take full responsibility and apologize for all this,” he added.
Dureza thanked Duterte for the opportunity of being the presidential peace adviser under his watch. With PNA