Resume peace talks

The Promotion of Church People’s Response Cebu deeply bemoans the arrest of supposed New People’s Army members Myles Albasin and five others in what the 62nd Infantry Battalion reported is a result of legitimate military and police operations in the hinterlands of Mabinay, Negros Oriental. PCPR Cebu calls on all the Church people, human rights groups, civil liberty groups, and others concerned to thoroughly investigate and verify claims made by the military as these are suspicious of plain publicity stunt aimed at demonizing individuals and groups committed to the cause of social justice and genuine peace.

Myles Albasin is an alumna of UP Cebu. Her long years of education both inside and outside the University have molded her to become a true Iskolar ng Bayan who, without reserve, dedicated her talents and time to the fight for genuine social liberation and transformation. Being my student in a social science course, Myles displayed exceptional grasp of theoretical systems in Philosophy and the social sciences, and without difficulty applied these to the praxis of social emancipation.

The ever worsening crisis of our semi-colonial and semi-feudal society pushes many in the margins and the intellectual youth to embrace higher forms of struggle. As in the case of Rizal and Bonifacio in the past, many of our youth today join the revolutionary cause as material socio-economic conditions tempered their revolutionary resolve. But as in the past, pure militaristic approaches can never quell this legitimate armed struggle of an oppressed people. On the contrary, these approaches would simply intensify abuses and rights violations thereby ultimately fueling the rage of the youth and the people.

Thus, PCPR calls on the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) to immediately resume the peace talks in order to address the rootcauses of the armed conflict. Specifically, the peace talks should address the socio-economic conditions of landlessness, depressed wages, inaccessible social services, burdensome taxes, and state repression among others as these are the material problems that propel the cause for an armed struggle.

The six arrested individuals add to the more than 400 political prisoners whom President Duterte already promised general amnesty. PCPR likewise calls on the authorities concerned to observe due process and, as the Chancellor of UP Cebu stated, consider Myles (and the others) “innocent until proven otherwise.”

In the end, PCPR, echoing Peter, calls on all the faithful to be vigilant because our adversary the devil is just walking with us, oppressing the poor and weak. And along with Peter, we also believe that we may suffer for a while but through Christ be strengthened, made firm, and steadfast in the fight for social justice and peace.

Prof. Regletto Aldrich Imbong

Secretary General

Promotion of Church People’s Response Cebu