MANILA CITY –  “It is now  very important that our media organizations take the special effort of weeding out what is disinformation, what is propaganda and what is the truth,” appealed Presidential Peace Adviser Sec. Jesus G. Dureza to the press during a dialogue yesterday.

The peace secretary noted that spreading false information and misleading the people are one of the tactics of extremists to cause terror in the public. He hoped that the civilian community, together with the media, help calm down the situation in Lanao del Sur by putting a stop to viral misinformation.

A day before his flight to The Netherlands for the fifth round of talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF), Dureza said that the ceasefire mechanisms established under the peace process with the MILF will remain effective in stabilizing the situation in Marawi City. It will also be a crucial help in preventing terror to pursue its activities.

“It will not stop us from implementing the signed agreements. The different factions, or the ‘peace spoliers’, will be dealt with accordingly with our armed and security forces,” emphasized Dureza.

Previously in March 2014, the government signed a final peace agreement with the MILF that includes a ceasefire mechanism that allows local and foreign ceasefire monitoring, socio-economic assistance, civilian protection, security, humanitarian rehabilitation and development – a template in which the Duterte administration hopes to have with the communist rebels.

The declared martial law in Mindanao will help the civilian authorities outside Marawi City keep the peace within their localities, as added by the peace adviser.

Dureza also highlighted media’s role on the peace process: to mainstream the government’s peace and development efforts so that the Filipino people will support it.

“It is through you, members of media, who will be engaging the greater public. Get them to understand why we are doing this, why it’s necessary why we have to engage, and that they should also come around and should have some kind of ownership on the outcomes of our peace work. There and only then, that we can see some positive results in our engagement for peace,” said Dureza.

The fifth round of talks with the NDF is set on the 27th of May up to June 1st in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

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