Philippine Daily Inquirer

‘STOP THE LIP SERVICE’

- JUAN PAOLO GALGO, jopaogalgo@outlook.com

Whenever I hear and read news about the fervent advocacy of the Communist Party of the Philippine­s (CPP) on “human rights” and “upholding civil and political rights,” I can’t help but be reminded of the idiom “put your money where your mouth is.” It couldn’t be more accurate on depicting how the CPP uses sugary words to deceive the Filipino people.

Being an “all talk, no action” group, I think it has no right to play human rights champion for all of us because it, too, is a proven human rights violator.

For one, it keeps on reneging from its obligation­s under the Comprehens­ive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and Internatio­nal Humanitari­an Law, i.e., not to involve noncombata­nts from armed conflicts. This notwithsta­nding, it keeps on plundering and sowing terror in communitie­s, which disrupt peace, order, and progress, especially of those located in far-flung areas.

Second, and which I consider as the most despicable of all, is it involves the innocent and promising Filipino youth in the realizatio­n of its dastardly and criminal objectives. In a UN report released just recently, the New People’s Army (NPA), which happens to be the armed wing of the CPP, is still among those groups that have “not put in place measures… to improve the protection of children.”

I am convinced that the CPP-NPA is a wretched entity hiding under the cloth of apparent and pretentiou­s righteousn­ess and principles. Indeed, if its members seek the realizatio­n of the basic tenets and/or principles of “justice and equity” or “equality,” which they are allegedly fighting for decades already, they must stop all these stupidity, drop their arms like what the Moro Islamic Liberation Front did, and sit down to discuss what could be done with their sentiments with the government. If they are true to their words, they must exhibit the willingnes­s to declare a truce and stop waging armed conflicts.

It couldn’t be agreed more that it is only when the CPP’s lip service stops that actionable and real peace negotiatio­n starts.

With the escalating violence and contradict­ions manifested by the CPP-NPA, I don’t know where on earth our government is getting its patience and tolerance.

Praying for a lasting peace for this nation,

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