AFTER SPANISH VICTORY OVER ETA, KIKO PANGILINAN URGES NDF, MILF TO GIVE UP ARMED STRUGGLE AND WORK TOWARD JUST AND COMPREHENSIVE PEACE SETTLEMENT

A day after the Basque separatist group ETA declared a 'definitive cessation' to violence in Spain, Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan expresses hope that the Philippines will someday soon experience the same triumphant hope for peace now that the ETA had declared an end to its 40-year armed struggle.

"It pains us to see that at the same time we are mourning the loss of lives due to armed struggle in our country, our brothers in Spain are rejoicing at the end of violence in theirs," Pangilinan says. "We urge our brothers in the NDF and MILF to end decades of armed struggle and open channels that will allow us to enjoy lasting peace in our country."

The NDF's armed struggle is now on its 40th year, and is considered the longest-running armed struggle in Asia.

"The end of violence in Spain gives us hope, and we believe we have more cause to be united as Filipinos and more reason to work harder for peace. This generation and its leaders must exhaust all efforts to achieve lasting peace."

An ally of President Aquino and the chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Devt, Pangilinan continues, "With the genuine desire of President Aquino to reach out and have a dialogue with the NDF and MILF, now more than ever our goal of finally achieving peace is within reach. We hope that all parties exert extra effort to make this happen now, within our lifetime. Forty years is too long to be at war with our own brothers. Too many lives have been lost, and too much precious resources have been wasted in addressing this conflict. The time to end all this is now."