PDut to Reds: No more talks
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that he is no longer interested in peace negotiations with the communist rebels, following the New People Army's (NPA) continued attacks against security forces.
During his surprise visit to government forces in Marawi City, the Chief Executive lamented the "strong resurgence" of offensives perpetrated by the NPA, the communist group's armed wing, in different parts of the country.
Duterte then issued a new directive to address the NPA's uprising, once the government is able to end the armed conflict in war-torn Marawi City.
"Don't be too confident because there is a strong resurgence. The NPA has returned. After this armed struggle, after these fools (terrorists) are wiped out, let's re-orient. The NPA, they owe us huge debt," he told the government troops fighting Islamist fighters in Marawi City.
“I don’t want to talk to them. They killed many of my soldiers. They killed many of my policemen,” he added.
Fresh offensives by the communist rebels in Cotabato last Wednesday wounded four of Duterte’s security aides.
The encounter between the Presidential Security Group and the rebel group prompted the government to cancel the back-channel talks with the communists before end of July.
Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza on Wednesday said that the desired enabling environment in order to resume the peace talks is still “not present up to this time,” citing the attacks of NPA against government forces.
Duterte, who earlier expressed willingness to push through with the peace negotiations with the communist group even after he questioned their sincerity, urged his men to be vigilant of the possible attacks of the NPA in the coming days.
“I gave you sidearms. Be alert because NPA will really kill you,” he said.
Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he remains optimistic that the right time would come for the communist and state panels to resume the peace negotiations.
“We’re waiting for the right time, and it’s God’s will. Yeah, [we’re still looking forward to resume talks with the communist group] at the right time,” Bello, chief government peace negotiator, told Palace reporters.
Bello said Duterte could not be blamed if he was reluctant to resume the talks, given the “attacks and atrocities” committed by the other party.
“Despite all that and so many other things before that, the Presidente still wants the peace talks,” he said.
“That’s why, I think, even though the President does not want to get irked because of his desire to push through with the peace talks, there’s a basis for him to moot whether we should continue the peace talks, given the circumstances,” he added.
Bello said the President had given the communist group “many chances” but it does not refrain from launching attacks.
He said Duterte merely wanted the communist rebels to end hostile activities, including “depredations, extortions, burning, arson, and attacks,” in order for both parties to resume the negotiations.
“The President was asking for timelines when do we get to at least put a stop to depredations, extortions, burning, arson, attacks. ‘I want to have a timeline.’ That’s what the President wants,” Bello said.
“Let us remember, we cannot continue fighting while they want to talk. The President, I know his nature. He does what he says. So when you talk and go into negotiations, there are better being no attacks and atrocities. Atrocities should stop, if there’s peace dialogue,” he added.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, for his part, fully supports the decision of the President to suspend the peace talks with the communists.
“We are all for peace. Sino ba ang ayaw maging mapayapa ang ating bansa? But we can only talk about peace when both sides mean what they say. Tiwala ako sa integridad at katapatan ng ating Government Peace Panel. Alam kong ginagawa nila ang sa tingin nila ay nararapat para sa bayan, alinsunod sa batas at adhikain ng ating Pangulo. I, however, question the sincerity, integrity, and motives of the other side,” he said.
He said he was saddened that the government would again have to abandon the peace talk, which aims to end the decades-old insurgency.
However, he said the government has already proven its sincerity in the peace negotiations and it is now the leftists’ turn to show that they are one with the government in trying to attain long last peace for the nation.
“Hindi naman puwedeng ganito na lang palagi ang nangyayari. Kailangan na nating magkalinawan. That is why I ask the leaders and members of the CPP-NPA: do you really want peace or do you want to continue down the bloody path of war?,” said Lorenzana. SunStar Philippines