A peace summit is not the answer to addressing rising crime in the Philippines, a Catholic bishop said today. “Everybody knows the problem. The challenge for the government is how to address it,” said Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez of Marbel diocese in the southern Philippines. “Instead of a peace summit, why not create a panel that would serve as government think-tank in finding solutions?” Bishop Gutierrez said. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is set to host a peace summit on Tuesday to be attended by representatives from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), civil society, religious groups and the government. “The participants from various sectors including the MNLF and the MILF have confirmed their attendance,” said program organizer Romeo Sema, an MNLF official and director of ARMM’s regional reconciliation and unification commission. Bishop Gutierrez said, however, he is afraid the peace summit will only be used for politics. “It does not solve the problem. In management you solve the problem by discussing it and finding a solution. You only need a select few,” the prelate said. He said the Church is doing its part in addressing the problem of criminality. “Better education plus solid organization, the result is communal action. Communal action helps a lot in solving crime problems in the country,” Bishop Gutierrez said. Related reports Aquino rules out return of death penaltyEnd of Ramadan a chance to start anewNo development without justice, says bishop PL12968.1637