CPP affirms wishes to oust Pres. Duterte
MANILA — Following the cancelation of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines, the communist rebels affirmed its position on opposing the Duterte administration.
In a statement released Wednesday, the CPP called on the Filipino people to expose and oppose the "US-Duterte" regime.
"The Filipino people and their revolutionary forces reaffirm their determination to advance the struggle for national and social liberation, seek the overthrow of US imperialism and the puppet Duterte regime and establish a fully independent people's democratic state," the communist group said.
The statement comes after the Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed threats of communist rebels to overthrow the government.
The military said that this information came from recovered documents from surrendered members of the New People's Army, the armed wing of the CPP.
The CPP released its latest statement as the United States celebrates its Independence Day and the Filipino-American Friendship Day is commemorated.
The communist rebels, meanwhile, noted that today also marks the 72nd year of the Philippines as a "client state" of the US.
"More than seven decades after the US colonial regime granted nominal independence to the Philippines on July 4, 1946 and handed over the reins of government to its US-indoctrinated politicians and technocrats, the country remains under US neocolonial stranglehold," the CPP said.
The group stressed that the Philippines remains economically dependent, politically subservient, culturally subjugated and military bound to the US.
"Rodrigo Duterte is the current chief of this neocolonial state. Over the past two years, he has perpetuated US neocolonial rule in the country," it said.
The CPP further accused Duterte's Cabinet members of being "stalwarts of US hegemonism."
The group noted that Duterte's economic managers were trained by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank while defense and security officials are "pro-American zealots of US counter-insurgency doctrine."
"Duterte's subservience to the US imperialists is most starkly demonstrated by extending the extraterritorial rights granted to the US military in the Philippines under various one-sided treaties," the statement read.
The communist rebels also called out the US for building military facilities in the country while condemning China's militarization in the South China Sea.
"Duterte paved the way for intensified US military intervention in the nation's affairs," the CPP said, adding that Duterte allowed US military intervention in the operations to liberate Marawi City.
CPP founding chair Joma Sison earlier said that the communist rebels could no longer negotiate with the Duterte administration. He said that the group would rather join efforts to oust the president.
"So long as he heads the [government of the Philippines], the Filipino people, especially the oppressed and exploited, cannot expect any benefit from negotiating with the Duterte regime," Sison said.