PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has formally declared the termination of talks between the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front-Communist of the Philippines-The New People’s Army (NDF-CPP-NPA) through Proclamation No. 360 issued Thursday, Nov. 23.

The proclamation, issued on Friday, noted in part that, “in spite of the best efforts exerted by this Administration, the NDF-CPP-NPA failed to show its sincerity and commitment in pursuing genuine and meaningful peace negotiations as it engaged in acts of violence and hostilities, endangering the lives and properties of innocent people.”

“Now, therefore, I, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby declare the termination of peace negotiations with the NDF-CPP-NPA and all its adjuncts and organizational units,” the proclamation also read.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) Panel for Peace Talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF were accordingly directed “to cancel all peace talks and meetings with the NDF-CPP-NPA.”

Late night on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque Jr., announced the proclamation after Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus G. Dureza made a statement a day earlier on the cancellation of talks.

“We find it unfortunate that their members have failed to show their sincerity and commitment in pursuing genuine and meaningful peaceful negotiations,” Mr. Roque said of the NDF-CPP-NPA.

‘NO. 1 TERRORIST’
Peace talks between the GRP and the NDF-CPP-NPA started early this year but a fifth round of talks was canceled following reports of NPA rebels attacking government forces.

On Wednesday, Mr. Duterte said he will order the arrest of the rebels as they were already categorized as terrorists. He also said even their “legal fronts” could be arrested as they worked together to topple down the government.

“The President, as we all know, has always wanted to leave a legacy of peace under his administration. He has, in fact, walked the extra mile for peace. Rest assured that he will continuously pray that we may all find the peace that we seek for our beloved country in the fullness of God’s time,” Mr. Roque said.

For his part, NDF chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison branded Mr. Duterte as “the No. 1 terrorist in the Philippines,” and as “a mass murderer, political swindler, a sycophant to foreign powers and a corrupt bureaucrat.”

“The Filipino people and revolutionary forces waging the people´s democratic revolution have no choice but to intensify the people´s war through an extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare in rural areas and partisan or commando operations in urban areas,” Mr. Sison also said.

“Duterte is now worried to death by his own fear that anti-Duterte officers within his own army and police are inclined to act in the name of the people and unite with the broad opposition and mass movement in order to end the Duterte regime in the same manner that the Marcos and Estrada regimes were ended,” he added.

Mr. Sison’s wife, Julieta de Lima, in her statement as chairperson of the NDFP Reciprocal Working Committee on Social and Economic Reforms lamented that Mr. Duterte’s “latest scuttling of the talks comes at a time when unprecedented advances have already been achieved in forging agreements on urgently needed socio-economic reforms to alleviate mass poverty and resolve the roots of the armed conflict.”

‘US INTERVENTION’
Although the proclamation stopped short of declaring the rebels as terrorists, ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said in response to the proclamation: “Sa tingin ko, among others, magbubukas ito sa isang mas malala na direktang intervention ng US military sa counter-insurgency operations. The same way na ‘yung US ay deeply involved sa giyera kontra sa Maute kasi ISIS daw ‘yan, terrorist group. So kinikilala ng US government na terrorist group ito, therefore may pahintulot na manghimasok sa mga counter-terrorist operation ng Armed Forces of the Philippines.” (I think this will open the way to a worse direct intervention by the US military in counter-insurgency operations. The same way the US was deeply involved in the war against Maute because they were deemed ISIS, a terrorist group. So the US government recognizes [the communist rebels] as a terrorist group, therefore this gives them room to be involved in the counter-terrorist operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.)

Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate of Bayan Muna party-list for his part said: “Unfortunately, mukhang nagiging tindig ngayon ng administrasyon ay pasukuin na lamang ang mga rebolusyonaryong grupo at magkaroon ng pangmatagalang ceasefire na hindi ina-address ‘yung root causes of the armed conflict…” (Unfortunately, it appears the administration’s stand now is to force the surrender of the revolutionary group and enforce a cease-fire that will not address the root causes of the armed conflict.)

Rep. Sarah Jane I. Elago of the Kabataan party-list said Mr. Duterte’s proclamation was tantamount to an “all-out war” against the rebels.

But Rep. Jericho Nograles of the Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA), on the other hand, said in a statement that “Duterte is right to tag CPP-NDF-NPA as ‘terrorists.’”

“The negotiations between the Government and the CPP-NDF-NPA have been going nowhere for years. In fact, it has been simply a ‘hearing commission’ more than a true negotiation for peace,” Mr. Nograles said.

He added that based on Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007, NDF-CPP-NPA are thus defined as terrorists.

“They act like terrorists so it’s only correct to classify them as terrorists,” Mr. Nograles said.

For his part, Senator Francis N. Pangilinan in his statement as Liberal Party president said in part: “The Party expresses serious concern over the President’s cancellation of peace talks with the National Democratic Front. Both sides have already endured enough, and cancelling the peace talks would only mean further suffering for all, especially civilians who are caught between the seemingly endless arms struggle.”

“We need to have a continuous dialogue about dealing with the civil unrest. We need to continue talking about land reform, improving and ensuring workers’ rights, protecting indigenous peoples, and alleviating the injustices long felt by our country’s working class,” Mr. Pangilinan also said. — Rosemarie A. Zamora with Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

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