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Zubiri welcomes peace talks ‘as long as we aren’t deceived’

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zubiri peace talks

SELF-RELIANT DEFENSE POSTURE REVITALIZATION ACT: Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri supports the passage of Senate Bill No. 2455 or the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act which seeks to develop the defense industry and its capability to locally produce weaponry and equipment for the armed forces or armed services of the Philippines. During interpellation on the bill Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Zubiri pointed out that countries like the United States require arm manufacturers who supply them with weapons to set up shop in their home-country. “We would like that to happen as well in the Philippines where if these companies want to sell firearms to the armed forces or the armed services they (would) have to set up shops in the Philippines and manufacture them here in our country. That way they pay income taxes, hire laborers and create more jobs,” Zubiri said. He said the country is now in deep negotiation with an Australian ship company that has a shipyard in Balamban, Cebu. “With the passage of (the bill), we will prioritize locally-made equipment. They told me they could build the ships here in one year and would hire 3,000 ship builders for the three boats. The point is, they are excited to build (the ships) here. We don’t have to buy them from Australia,” Zubiri said. He said the ships even come with a guarantee that repairs would be done in the shipyard in Cebu. (Bibo Nueva Espana/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday backed government efforts to make peace with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) but maintained that the government should remain vigilant.

In an ambush interview in Manila, Zubiri was asked for comment on the resumption of peace talks with the insurgent group, as well as on Vice President Sara Duterte’s criticism of the move being “an agreement with the devil.”

“We welcome that. We welcome that from the President. We welcome that from the government. Basta ‘wag lang tayo magpaloko. ‘Yun siguro sinasabi ni VP Sara. ‘Wag po tayo magpaloko,” Zubiri told reporters.

(We welcome that. We welcome that from the President. We welcome that from the government. As long as we will not be deceived. I think that is what VP Sara is saying. Let us not be deceived.)

Zubiri said that the government and the NDFP could talk if they put their arms down.

“Any political move that will end any conflict within the Philippines, I’m in favor of, kasi long lasting solutions ‘yan eh. Kung hindi natin ma-address yung political solution niyan, tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang paglalaban and paggugulo ng grupong ito,” said the Senate president.

(Any political move that will end any conflict within the Philippines, I’m in favor of, because these are long-lasting solutions. If we do not address the political solution, the fighting and the chaos of these groups will continue.)

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