By Vince Angelo C. Ferreras
Reporter
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte is the “best recruiter” of the New People’s Army for driving people to “fight” his “evil” regime, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria C. Sison said in a statement on late Saturday evening, March 23.
“As the best recruiter of the NPA, Duterte has driven so many people to join the NPA by running a tyrannical, treasonous, mass murdering, plundering and inflation-generating regime. The people have no choice but to fight such an evil regime,” said Mr. Sison in a statement on late Saturday evening, March 23.
Relations between the national government and communist rebels had been strained anew, with Mr. Duterte announcing on March 21 that he is ending peace negotiations.
“By terminating the peace negotiations, he compels the armed revolutionary movement to concentrate on intensifying the people’s war and cast away any illusion that this regime of terror and greed can negotiate social, economic and political reforms to address the roots of the armed conflict in order to achieve a just and lasting peace,” Mr. Sison said.
The exiled communist leader said of Mr. Duterte’s “splitting the military and police forces into two parts.
“The part for psywar and mass intimidation is for engaging in fake peace-and-development activities, rounding up people for fake localized peace negotiations, fake surrenders, occupation of civilian offices, too many checkpoints, guarding pro-Duterte politicians and business enterprises, over-enlarged surveillance and intelligence operations, widespread red tagging, urban arrests and death-squad operations.
“The part for combat is weakened with less personnel for field deployment.”
Mr. Sison also said Mr. Duterte is the “best transport and supply officer” for the rebels.
“When they advance in superior force, the NPA retreats and gives the enemy an illusion of winning. But when they camp and take over rough terrain, their strength is thinned out and they leave gaps between units and make small detachments and patrol teams, which are easy targets for the counteroffensives of the NPA,” he said.
“It is impossible for the reactionary military, police and paramilitary forces to defeat the NPA through sheer military operations and puerile psywar. The NPA already has nationwide strength and is deeply rooted among the toiling masses,” Mr. Sison said.
Sought for comment, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador L. Panelo said: “Other than saying that his rants are psychologically challenged, they are undeserving of a response.”
Malacañang recently announced a new panel will be organized to pursue localized peace talks with the rebels.

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