DAVAO CITY, January 7, 2009 –Saying that there’s always joy in hoping, Redemptorist Priest Fr. Amado Picardal said that this year can be a year of hope for this country to prosper, for new breed of national and local leaders, peace constituency and movement to expand and for peace to reign in Mindanao.

Picardal said with the elections in 2010 the people are called to pray and hope that a new breed of national and local leaders will emerge so that this country will prosper.

“Enough of corrupt, self-serving leaders without principles, convictions and vision. Never again to presidents like Marcos, Macapagal-Arroyo or Estrada. No to presidents whose qualification is their popularity, wealth and electability,” he said, adding:

“We expect our leaders to have the credibility and political will to come up with a negotiated peace settlement with the various groups. They should be able to address the roots of violence and armed conflict. We need leaders whose primary concern is not staying in power or enriching themselves but the good of all, especially the majority who are poor.”

Picardal also said that it is about time for the people to think that the leaders who will lead this country their primary concern should be how to bring about justice, peace, and development.

“We need leaders who realize that a military solution to the insurgency problem is costly and ineffective,” he said.

On CPP/NPA/NDF/MILF

Picardal also hopes the Communist Party in the Philippines (CPP)/ New People’s Army (NPA)/ National Democratic Front (NDF) will realize that transforming Philippine society through armed struggle or people’s war is an impossible dream.

“After 40 years of fighting, their military capability and mass base remain insignificant. In fact, they have not grown or expanded, but have dwindled. They can carry out tactical offensives against soft targets but are not capable of reaching the strategic offensive stage. They have lost so many brave comrades over the years. They cannot expect a critical mass of people to support the “protracted people’s war,” he said.

“People are simply tired of all the violence and of war. It is high time to abandon the Maoist dogma and come up with new paradigms in transforming society. The peace negotiations should be seen from a strategic framework like what revolutionaries in South Africa, El Salvador and Northern Ireland have done,” added Picardal.

He also shared his hope that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will be able to punish erring commanders, control their units and prevent them from committing further atrocities against the civilian population.

“We hope that they will realize that carving out an independent Islamic republic in Mindanao is an impossible dream. They have to accept the reality that Mindanao is now the home of the Muslims, Christians and Lumads. The signing of the MOA-AD should not be the precondition for the resumption of the peace negotiations. Rather, the MOA-AD can be the working document from which both parties can continue negotiating until they agree which provisions are acceptable to all and which are not,” he said, adding:

“Areas where Christians and Lumads are the majority should not be included in the proposed Bangsamoro Judicial Entity (BJE). In different circumstances, when Arroyo is no longer president, the proposal for changing the constitution to shift to a federal form of government can be more acceptable,” said Picardal.

On Congress

Picardal also prayed and hope that a time will come when congress will truly become the house of the representatives of the people and not of the landowning and business elite.

“It will be a congress that is capable of passing laws that will truly benefit the majority and that will bring about peace, justice and progress in the land. It will truly be independent from the president yet will work with the president for crafting legislations beneficial to all. It will be a congress where those belonging to various ideologies will have a chance to pursue their programs that will benefit their people,” said Picardal.

”This will require a change in the political culture. This will mean changing the way we Filipinos elect our public officials – not by their wealth and popularity but by their competence, integrity and spirit of service. This means that elected officials change the way they perceive their office – not as a means for self-enrichment, power and domination. This means doing away with patronage politics,” he added.

On Peace

As a peace advocate, Picardal said he hopes the peace constituency and movement will expand so that more people will expressly reject violence and war, imbibe the culture of life and peace, and will actively be involved in peace advocacy.

“We hope that communities at the grassroots – Christians and Muslims, Basic Ecclesial Communities – will be involved in establishing zones of peace. This will require the leadership and support of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), each bishop, each priest and religious in collaboration with other religious leaders – belonging to other Christian dominations and Muslims,” he said.

“This also means working with civil society groups and organizations,” he added.

“Peace is elusive but it is possible. There is always hope and we should not stop working for peace,” ended Picardal. (Mark S. Ventura)