NPA sabotaging peace talks – DND chief

If there is one group sabotaging the ongoing peace talks in Rome, it is the New People’s Army (NPA), Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

His statement runs counter to the claim of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) leadership that accused the Armed Forces of the Philippines of damaging the talks.

“We will not stop our operations against lawless elements in support of the police law enforcement action,” Lorenzana said, referring to the killing of a man who turned out to be an NPA member during a recent law enforcement operation in Makilala in North Cotabato.

He added that for as long as there are lawless elements terrorizing civilian communities, the military and police operations would continue.

In Davao City, the Philippine Army reported yesterday that the NPA had executed a civilian and a farmer they accused of being a military spy and a drug peddler, respectively.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, spokesman for the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, identified the victims as Alberto Sablada of Calinan district and Neptali Alfredo Pondoc, a farmer from Paquibato district, after a confirmation from Rigoberto Sanchez, spokesman for NPASouthern Mindanao Regional Committee.

Also yesterday, President Duterte reiterated his position that political prisoners would not be released unless the government and communist peace panels reach a ceasefire agreement.

Both sides failed to come up with an agreement after closing the third round of formal peace talks in Rome, Italy yesterday.

“What I want is ceasefire first. But you communists would not give it, so I would not give either. I have given so much,” Duterte said, stressing his hesitance on releasing more political prisoners.

“I have given so much, too soon, already. Show me first a document with the ceasefire agreement before there will be more release of prisoners,” the President said while doing a “talk to men” session among soldiers assigned with the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Awang, Maguindanao.

Lorenzana asked the CPPNPA-NDF leadership on what the heavily armed NPA rebels were doing in a remote community in Makilala town, which led to an encounter with government forces last week.