DOJ wants terror tag for CPP-NPA

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday filed a petition before the Manila regional trial court seeking to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as a terrorist organization.

DOJ prosecutors urged the court to affirm the terrorist tag against the CPP-NPA, citing Section 17 of Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong cited several attacks by the communists on government forces despite the peace talks with the Duterte administration from April to December in 2017.

President Duterte has issued a proclamation, declaring the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group.

But under the law, the government, through the DOJ, should seek clearance first from the court before the CPP-NPA can be declared an outlawed group.

In its petition, the DOJ said the communist rebels used the peace talks to buy time to mobilize their forces to topple the state and install a totalitarian government through its protracted “people’s war.”

“The CPP and NPA are merely buying time by deceiving the Philippine government in entering into peace talks while their main purpose is to mobilize their forces in preparation for the ‘people’s war’ aimed at overthrowing the administration,” the petition read.

The DOJ filed the petition following President Duterte’s termination of the peace talks with the communist group.

Solicitor General Jose Calida earlier asked the Manila RTC Branch 32 to put back in jail Rafael Baylosis, Vicente Ladlad and Randall Echanis, who were earlier allowed to post bail for murder in order for them to participate in the peace negotiations.

Baylosis, alleged secretary of the NPA, is being held at Camp Crame in Quezon City after he was arrested for alleged possession of illegal firearms and explosives in Quezon City on Jan. 31.

Communist leaders Wilma and Benito Tiamzon have also appealed the court’s cancellation of their bail after the termination of the peace talks.

PNP backs DOJ move

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa supports the DOJ’s filing of a petition to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group.

Dela Rosa said the communist rebels have themselves to blame because of their extortion activities and attacks on government security forces.

“They have committed several acts of terror,” he told reporters.

Dela Rosa said the communist rebels have committed acts detrimental to economic development in the provinces such as burning of heavy equipment used to build roads and bridges.

The CPP-NPA also extorted money from the poor through revolutionary taxes, the PNP chief added.

The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) scored the DOJ’s move.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said the DOJ petition further “diminishes the prospects for peace negotiations to continue” despite the efforts of the Royal Norwegian government to revive the talks. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Elizabeth Marcelo