Military dismisses Joma Sison’s oust Duterte threat

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has dismissed as “old hat” the warning of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison that a people’s war is now advancing for President Duterte’s ouster following his decision to suspend the resumption of peace talks.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, pointed out that in the past failed peace talks, Sison also raised the same ouster warning against the government, but the communist rebels never got close to unseating the duly constituted authorities.

“We do not know where Mr. Sison derives his temerity to make such threat when members of the New People’s Army (NPA) continue to surrender in droves in the face of the AFP’s tactical, intelligence and civil-military operations that enjoy the support of the Filipino people,” Arevalo said.

At least 2,263 regular NPA members and their mass base supporters have surrendered to government authorities nationwide since the launch of intensified military operations early this year, the military claimed.

Most of these rebels and sympathizers were from Mindanao, especially in the Caraga and Davao regions.

Arevalo said that while the military will continue to perform its mandated duties, it will also actively pursue and support all the efforts to attain a just and lasting peace in the country.

Sison, in his social media post yesterday, criticized the AFP’s ongoing modernization program, saying this is just a waste of taxpayers’ money.

He added that Duterte now imagines he has all the money to spend for military equipment and operations, referring to an approved multibillion-peso fund to bankroll the AFP’s Horizon II Modernization Program.

“He is just wasting tax money and borrowed funds for counterproductive purposes,” Sison said.

Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP public affairs office chief, laughed off Sison’s claim, saying the military’s acquisition of latest equipment is now making the self-exiled communist leader sleepless.

He added that the military doesn’t expect any good word from Sison.

“The AFP modernization is his worst nightmare,” Detoyato said, apparently in reference to acquired modern air, sea and land-based military equipment by AFP and which are now used against known enemies and threat groups.

When before ground troops have to battle with communist rebels without close air support, the military fixed this frontline concern with its acquisition of brand-new AW-109 attack helicopters.