Marcos to skip Peace Summit in Switzerland

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos will skip the global peace summit in Switzerland this weekend and send presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. as the country’s representative, Malacañang announced yesterday.

Galvez, head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, has been designated as representative of the Philippines to the Ukraine peace summit, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

The Swiss-organized summit will be held on June 15-16.

The PCO has yet to respond to queries on why the President is not attending the event.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an unexpected visit last week to the Philippines to personally invite Marcos to attend the summit.

Zelensky has accused Russia and China of trying to dissuade other states from attending the event.

Before departing Manila on June 3, Zelensky told GMA-7 that the Philippines’ “voice” against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was important, citing similarities in security challenges facing the two nations.

“Your (Philippines) voice is very important. This region is very important,” Zelensky said, citing Manila’s support of six United Nations resolutions condemning the Russian invasion and calling for an end to the war.

No country wants to again experience being colonized, he said, so countries with a “strong and clear position that nobody can occupy your territory” must unite.

Zelensky also warned about the possibility of the war spreading to other regions if democratic nations fail to unite and allow Russia to win.

Ukraine needs Filipino mental health workers, especially for battle-weary soldiers, he said.

Marcos committed to sending mental health workers to Ukraine through the UN peacekeeping process.

The two leaders failed to meet at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue – Asia’s largest defense summit – in Singapore.

Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the defense summit supposedly to drum up support from Asian countries.

Amnesty

The National Amnesty Commission (NAC) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday signed an agreement for the success of the Marcos administration’s amnesty program for rebels and secessionist groups.

The agreement aims to nurture a climate conducive to peace, reconciliation and reintegration into mainstream society of members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Bongcayao Brigade, former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front and their front organizations, members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.

The PNP could assist the NAC in vetting the information of amnesty applicants at the local or national level.

Under the agreement, the PNP shall also acknowledge safe conduct passes issued by the NAC so that applicants will have peace of mind and not get arrested while their amnesty applications are being processed.

This would be enforced unless applicants were arrested for committing acts not covered by the amnesty program.

Ex-officio members of the NAC, Interior Undersecretary Juan Victor Llamas representing Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, and presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., supported the partnership.

Signatories to the agreement were NAC chair Leah Tanodra-Armamento, NAC commissioners Jamar Kulayan and Naseer Marohomsalic and PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, represented by Lt. Gen. Michael John Dubria and Col. Joseph Arguelles.