Peace adviser condemns NPA for Davao City attacks

MANILA, Philippines — The presidential peace adviser on Monday denounced attacks in Davao City attributed to the New People's Army, which resulted in the "senseless destruction" of heavy equipment for infrastructure projects. 

 

In a statement, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza called the attacks a setback for the resumption of peace negotiations with communist rebels. 

 

"The fact that the three consecutive attacks happened during the observance of Holy Week all the more angers us," he said.

 

Dureza added: "This unnecessarily squanders whatever gains we have been quietly getting lately in our common efforts with the Communist Party of the Philippines/NPA/National Democratic Front leadership to achieve just peace through the negotiations table."

 

Reports said alleged NPA rebels burned 10 units of heavy equipment in Barangay Callawa in Buhangin, Barangay Fatima in Paquibato and Barangay Dalagdag in Calinan over the weekend. 

 

Dureza insisted that there should be an "enabling environment" for the peace talks between the government and the communist rebels to resume. 

 

In a statement last week, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison said the NDFP is definitely willing to resume peace negotiations. 

 

But he warned that if the government is unwilling to negotiate peace, the rebels "have no choice but to concentrate single-mindedly on fighting those who lust for their blood, death and humiliation."

 

Sison is now a political consultant for the NDFP, which represents the rebels in negotiations.

 

READ: Congress can help move peace talks forward, Joma says

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio also condemned the attacks blamed on communist rebels, even calling the NPA a terrorist group.

 

"The attacks were downright cowardly and indicate that the NPA is nothing but a terrorist group that deserves our collective rejection and condemnation," the presidednt's daughter said in a statement. 

 

Carpio claimed that the recent attacks by the NPA were acts of retaliation for the supposed refusal of the construction companies involved in the projects to succumb to extortion by the communist rebels. 

 

The NPA's armed rebellion is designed to undermine the country's democracy and progress through "its brand of egregious violence and extremism," she added.

 

"The fresh atrocities reveal that the terrorist group only truly intends for people to continue living in a condition of poverty, which they could use as a capital in their propaganda against the government and to justify their presence in the communities where their influence and significance are waning," Carpio said.  

 

Last November, Duterte formally terminated negotiations with the communist guerrillas, citing the rebels' supposed failure to display sincerity in the peace process. Two weeks later, he proclaimed CPP and its armed wing NPA as “terrorist groups.”

 

A Justice department petition was filed in a Manila court last month seeking to declare the CPP and NPA as terror groups and more than 600 individuals—most of whom are activists and rights defenders—as terrorists.

 

Under the Human Security Act of 2007, suspected terrorists can be ordered arrested even without a warrant. 

 

Duterte had repeatedly accused groups identified with the national democratic movement of being communist fronts. Activists said that the president’s "red-tagging" of individuals and organizations put their lives at risk.

 

READ: Palace to Reds: Cease hostilities first before peace talks continue