Militants hit Rody’s all-out war vs Reds

MANILA, Philippines - Militant groups Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) yesterday denounced President Duterte’s declaration of an all-out war against the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

In a press statement, Bayan said Duterte’s termination of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), as well as his subsequent declaration of an all-out-war against the NPA, would only aggravate human rights abuses against the locals, especially in Mindanao.

“Only the fascists, imperialists and local oligarchs are rejoicing over these grim developments. Meanwhile, it will be the people who will carry the brunt and suffer the effects of increased military operations,” the group said.

They said that as early as yesterday, when the all-out-war was declared by the President, there were already reports of “attacks and harassment” against non-combatants and leaders of legal mass movements.

“It is an established fact that no all-out war approach, not even during the height of the US-backed Marcos dictatorship, has ever succeeded. The root causes of the armed conflict cannot be solved by intensified military operations,” Bayan said.

On Tuesday, the government peace panel served a formal notice to the NDF that the government, upon the order of Duterte, is terminating the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantee (JASIG) as well as the safe conduct passes for NDF members, including those acting as consultants in the peace talks.

Prior to the termination of the JASIG, which the government and the NDF signed in 1995, both sides had lifted the unilateral ceasefire that they declared last year ahead of the resumption of the peace talks.

The NPA lifted the unilateral ceasefire that the rebels declared after Duterte rejected the NDF demand to release 400 political detainees.

Duterte also lifted the government’s ceasefire after the NPA launched offensives against the military.

Duterte also branded the CPP-NPA-NDF as a “terrorist group” and ordered the arrest of their rebel leaders.

Bayan said that despite these recent “grim developments,” the peace talks between the two parties must resume.

“Even without a ceasefire, it is important for the talks to continue for the benefit of the people. Now more than ever, agreements on socio-economic, political and constitutional reforms are needed,” Bayan said.

Pamalakaya said the all-out war declaration would only perpetuate impunity allegedly being committed by government authorities.

“The government’s immoral and insane all-out war can never be a key to achieve lasting peace and order in this land but it will generate more human rights violations against innocent civilians committed by the state forces with impunity,” Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

The group also called on Duterte to stop his “series of tantrums” and reconsider the cancellation of the JASIG as well as the peace talks.

“President Duterte gradually takes the path of fascism. This is a clear neglect to the just demands of the Filipino people who expect genuine change under President Duterte through social, economic and political reforms,” Hicap said.

Resume peace talks

Sen. Francis Pangilinan appealed yesterday to President Duterte to resume peace talks and withdraw his declaration of war against the NPA.

Pangilinan said the communist insurgency, which has resulted in the killing of Filipinos by fellow Filipinos, has been going on for nearly half a century while Duterte has been President for just six months.

“Giving up on peace and declaring all-out war just six months into his Presidency, I believe, with due respect, is being rash and impulsive,” the senator said.

“It is crucial that the administration take a broader view of the challenges and demands of peace negotiations. We need greater patience and understanding rather than anger and the ease to resort to violence and more killings,” he said.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the committee on national defense and security, called for maintaining “coordination” between the NDF and the government. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Paolo Romero, Romina Cabrera