Back-channel talks with Reds canceled
THE government has canceled the back-channel talks with the communist group, following the recent offensives launched by its armed, wing New People’s Army (NPA), including Wednesday’s encounter in Cotabato that wounded two members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
Presidential Adviser on Peace Process took to Facebook the announcement, saying the desired enabling environment in order to resume the peace negotiations remains “not present up to this time.”
“I am announcing the cancellation of back-channel talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF originally set within the next few days in Europe due to recent developments involving attacks done by the NPA,” Dureza said in a statement.
“The situation on the ground necessary to provide the desired enabling environment for the conduct of peace negotiations [is] still not present up to this time,” he added.
On July 4, government peace negotiator Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced that the government and the communist group will have a back-channel meeting in July and later on proceed with the fifth round of talks in August.
The planned resumption of peace dialogue failed to push through after the NPA staged series of offensives against security troops in Mindanao, despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s appeal to them to halt offensives.
Four members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were injured in an encounter between their unit and suspected members of the New People’s Army in Arakan town, Cotabato yesterday, July 19.
PSG spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Michael Aquino said the incident, which took place in the boundaries of Arakan, Bukidnon and Davao City, was an encounter between 10 of their men and at least a hundred suspected NPA rebels.
Chief Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb, Northern Mindanao police director, said members of the PSG aboard two vehicles were on their way to Cagayan de Oro City when the NPA rebels fired on them around 6:15 a.m.
Brigadier General Gilbert Gapay, the Army’s Eastern Mindanao Command deputy commander, said the gunmen who were clad in fatigue uniforms posed as members of the Task Force Davao and set up a fake checkpoint.
He said the firefight ensued after the PSG members sensed that the armed men were not legitimate members of the military.
The NPA’s Pulang Bagani Command took to Twitter to confirm its involvement in the encounter and claimed that they arrested a member of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“NPA Southern Mindanao Region reports its 1st Pulang Bagani Company puts up a checkpoint along Davao City-North CotabatoBukidnon boundaries Wednesday morning. Presidential Security Group vehicle was held while a CIDG agent was arrested. The operation was conducted,” the group said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to confirm the alleged arrest of a CIDG agent.
Pacleb said two of the wounded PSG members were Corporal Rodel Ledesma and Staff Sergeant Gerry Torsal.
Pacleb said he had instructed the Bukidnon police to alert personnel conduct checkpoints and closely monitor developments.
PSG commander Colonel Louie Dagoy said the wounded presidential security aides were rushed to German Doctors Hospital in Buda, Cagayan de Oro after sustaining minor injuries.
“You can’t say it’s serious injuries. They are not on critical condition. They are just really hit,” Dagoy said.
As of press time, the PSG chief said the situation is now “under control.”
Dagoy also assured the public that the latest incident involving the PSG, the lead agency task with providing security President Rodrigo Duterte and members of his family, would not affect the President’s future public engagements.
“It won’t affect [Duterte’s forthcoming activities]. Perhaps, life must go on. His activities will push through,” he said.
Task Force Davao issued a statement condemning the “terrorist acts” perpetrated by the NPA rebels.
“It was found out that a fake checkpoint was set-up by this group wearing military uniforms with a TF Davao signage. This is one of their deception acts done to deceive the public,” Colonel Erwin Bernard Neri, Task Force Davao Commander, said in a statement.
“Their legal fronts continue to press the call for the resumption of peace talks yet they continue to initiate atrocities that interrupt the peace process this is clear manifestation that they are not committed to peace talks,” Neri added.
Neri clarified that Task Force Davao is only operating on the downtown areas and in the exit and entry points of Davao City and Arakan is not included in its area of operations. SunStar Philippines