Rody’s anti-US rhetoric not enough for rebels

SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS, Philippines – Communist guerrillas warned that a peace deal with President Duterte’s government is unlikely to be reached if he won’t end the Philippines’ treaty alliance with the United States and resist foreign control by other countries he’s trying to befriend, like China and Russia.

In a clandestine news conference in a New People’s Army guerrilla encampment, regional rebel commander and spokesman Jaime Padilla outlined the advantages and downside of talking with Duterte to end one of the world’s longest-running Marxist insurgencies.

Founded in 1968, the rebels’ communist party has held peace talks with six  presidents, including Duterte, whose rise to power in June sparked rebel optimism due to his searing anti-US rhetoric, populist pro-poor stance and appointments of at least two left-wing Cabinet members.

But the guerrillas have also found themselves in a dilemma due to the tough-talking Duterte’s moves they find reprehensible, including the killings of large number of poor drug users that sparked accusations of massive human rights violations against him, a recent decision to allow dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in a heroes’ cemetery and threats to shift to dictatorial rule if rival politicians derail his anti-drug crackdown and try to impeach him.