No illusion of peace

President Rodrigo Duterte has unilaterally declared the cessation of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). The flimsy reason he gave is the series of tactical offensives launched by the New People's Army (NPA) in the countryside.

In the absence of a formal ceasefire agreement, it's business as usual. Government forces continued to launch military operations killing a number of NPAs while the latter continue to launch tactical offensives killing police and military personnel. So, what's the fuss? In this business of civil conflict, everyone is fair game.

It's a pity that this unilateral declaration came in the heels of the crucial stage of the peace process wherein the bone of contention of rebellion which is the social and economic reforms are being ironed out painstakingly  by both peace negotiating panels. Also, the negotiators are in the process of forging a formal ceasefire agreement that will temporarily still the guns from both sides.

Duterte has shown his true colors thus exposing his pro-people and pro-poor stance as a mere camouflage to hide the truth of his being a puppet of the ruling elite. He may be a leftist by heart but he cannot antagonize the rightist elements within this government without facing the threat of being booted out of power. He may antagonize the US government will all his breath but at the end of the day his survival depends on US support.

Even from the beginning of the Duterte regime, I harbored no iota of illusion that a just and lasting peace will be realized under the present dispensation. Duterte is only a pawn in the game and a puppet on a string being pulled by those masters of war hiding inside the Pentagon.  So, what else is new?

Rene F. Antiga

Cebu