Calling the CPP/NPA what they really are!

Finally after years of making friends with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People's Army, the then mayor of Davao City and now President of the Philippines, Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte, did what many presidents before him had failed to do: sit down with the Reds for a final push to usher peace in the country. But the hardcore anti-Communist in me never believed that the Reds would sue for peace… because their agenda is to turn the country into a Communist State, which many Filipinos would never agree.

Months ago, we mistakenly thought that peace was reachable, especially when Duterte agreed with the Government Peace Panel to have the so-called political prisoners freed so they could join the peace talks with the Peace Panel in the Netherlands. This included the top leaders of the CPP, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, who were arrested in Toledo City a few years ago. They were released last Aug. 2016 as a sign of goodwill by the Philippine government.

But while the peace talks were ongoing in the Netherlands, the NPAs continued their ambuscades against the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. With the AFP focused on fighting the Maute terrorists that took over Marawi City in May 23, 2017-which prompted Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao-the NPA never ceased its terroristic operations in the countryside and, finally last month, the NPAs ambushed a caravan in Bukidnon, killing a policeman, wounding six civilians and killing a four-month old baby. The NPAs later officially admitted to this ambuscade.

That was the last straw for Duterte and on Nov.23, he declared the end of the peace talks with the CPP and threatened to declare the Reds as terrorists. I thought that he was just making an idle threat to scare the Reds back into the negotiating table. I was wrong! Last Tuesday, Duterte himself announced that he has signed the document declaring the CPP-NPA as "terrorists" under the Human Security Act of 2007 (RA 9372). Naturally the CPP spokesman insisted that their organization is not a terrorist group, but a revolutionary one. But we know too well that their revolution has fizzled into banditry and terrorism!

Then there is Republic Act 10168 (Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act), which has provisions against financing of terrorist groups. Thus anyone proven to be helping or financing these terrorists groups would be held liable under this law. Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II was instructed to file a petition before the Regional Trial Court in Manila to classify the CPP-NPA as terrorist groups.

Finally after four decades of their supposed revolution against our democratic government, the CPP/NPA never achieved what is called a "strategic stalemate" in their quest to install a communist type of government. Let's face it… the Communists have done nothing good for the country.

A case in point is the infamous bombing of the Liberal Party's miting de avance at Plaza Miranda on August 21, 1971, which was the brainchild of CPP Chairman Jose Maria "Joma" Sison. People were surprised why then Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. was not on the stage in Plaza Miranda when the bombing took place. Many pundits suspected that Ninoy was alerted by Joma not to be in the LP rally.

On Nov.10, 1977, a team led by then Lt. Rodolfo Aguinaldo captured Joma in San Fernando, La Union. Then after the 1986 EDSA Revolution, then Pres. Corazon "Tita Cory" Aquino freed Joma in exchange for nothing and the latter left for a permanent exile in Utrecht, Netherlands where he continues to live today, 30-years after. Was this Tita Cory's repaying Joma for warning Ninoy not to be in Plaza Miranda when the Reds bombed the LP rally?

To date, Joma has never fought with the NPA cadres in the countryside. To top it all, he never answered for the crimes that he has committed against the Filipinos. With the CPP/NPA now declared as terrorists, the rules of engagement have changed and this could be the beginning of the end of this terrorist group.

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For email responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mozcom.com or vsbob-ita@gmail.com. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.