DAVAO CITY鈥擲oldiers coming home alive to their families.
This, according to a ranking military officer, would be one of the biggest benefits of a peace agreement with communist guerrillas.
Col. Casiano Monilla, deputy division commander of the military鈥檚 10th Infantry Division, said cessation of hostilities would mean soldiers being able to return to their families in one piece.
鈥淭here will be a significant drop in casualties among soldiers,鈥� said Monilla. 鈥淭here will also be a decrease in the number of families without fathers,鈥� he said in a press conference here on Wednesday.
The planned release of all political detainees, however, would be an 鈥渆motional issue鈥� for government soldiers, said Monilla.
鈥淭his is a very emotional issue for the armed forces especially since the cost of bringing them (suspected guerrillas) to justice is not just money, but also countless lives of our soldiers,鈥� Monilla said.
Despite this, Monilla said he sees no dissent from soldiers because they, too, would be thrilled at the prospect of ending the nearly
50-year insurgency that has killed thousands of people, both combatant and noncombatant.
鈥淲e do not see any dissenting opinion because the soldiers on the ground will be the one who will benefit greatly from this,鈥� said Monilla.
鈥淭hey will be the first to express their gratitude,鈥� he added.
He said the military trusts the wisdom of Duterte and would heed his orders.
鈥淲e will always follow the higher wisdom of people especially of the incoming president,鈥� said Monilla.
鈥淚f he sees this as the solution to really achieve peace then the armed forces will always be toeing the line,鈥� he said.
Aside from the benefit of reducing the number of casualties of armed conflict, Monilla said peace with communist guerrillas would redirect the resources and efforts of the security sector toward improving the country鈥檚 external defense.
鈥淲e know that we were ordered to conduct internal security operations because the police are too busy addressing domestic problems,鈥� said Monilla.
鈥淭his is the reason why they cannot cover the insurgency. If there will be peace, the AFP can now perform its true mandate of securing our territorial integrity and protecting our people and nation,鈥� he said.
Monilla added that this might finally fulfill the dream of the armed forces to improve national defense. Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao