Joma: Longer ML to scuttle peace talks

A prolonged martial law and its possible nationwide implementation could scuttle peace negotiations, communist rebels warned yesterday.

“A martial law nationwide will certainly be a declaration of war against the revolutionary movement. It would practically kill peace negotiations,” Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison told ANC.

He said the extension of martial law in Mindanao would also mean continuous fighting between government

forces and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

Sison said the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) must discuss the implications of martial law on the peace talks.

The NDF is the umbrella organization representing the CPP-NPA in the peace talks with the Philippine government in the Netherlands.

Sison added the government should also consider how the NPA and the people would be affected by martial law in the entire Mindanao region.

The fifth round of formal peace talks with the NDF is scheduled for next month. Previously, the NDF even expressed willingness to declare a unilateral ceasefire in certain parts of Mindanao in order to allow government troops to focus on the Marawi siege.

Sison said the CPP-NDFNPA is ready to declare a bilateral ceasefire as long as everything is done properly, adding that all political prisoners must first be released and both sides complete negotiations on reforms.

However, the military headed by Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año took exception to Sison’s statements.

He said the possible extension of martial law is directed at finishing the unfinished business in Marawi.

“That statement of Joma has no basis and it’s purely the product of his imagination,” Año said.

He said military rule in Mindanao is intended to get rid of the terrorists in Marawi and is not against the CPP-NPA.

Año accused the communists of taking advantage of the Marawi crisis by launching offensives nationwide.

“While the AFP is focused on finishing the Marawi crisis in order to bring back normalcy so that residents can return to Marawi, Joma and the CPP-NPA are obviously taking advantage of the crisis,” he said.

Against extension

President Duterte’s leftist allies in the House of Representatives also expressed their opposition to his proposal to extend martial law up to the end of the year.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate led the militant lawmakers in a news conference and announced that two months of martial law has already left hundreds of soldiers, terrorists, civilians, including evacuees, dead and has caused extensive damage to public and private buildings, homes and infrastructure.

“Consistent with our stand when we opposed the declaration of martial law in Mindanao by the President, we are opposed to its extension. In fact, we want it lifted so people could return to normal life,” Zarate said.

He said an extension means the military has failed to resolve the crisis in Marawi City within the 60-day constitutional life of martial rule.

“Extending martial law is like giving premium to a grave failure and tolerating incompetence. Instead of extending martial law, the President should immediately lift it,” he said.

Rep. Antonio Tinio of Alliance of Concerned Teachers said even businessmen in Davao City, where Duterte served as mayor for many years, are against the extension of martial law.

“It is already affecting business not only in Davao City but other areas in Mindanao as well that are far from the war zone,” he said.

Rep. Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis said they would try to present during the joint special session of Congress on Saturday “documented cases of violations of human rights of civilians.”

“We hope to convince our colleagues to junk the request for an extension because it would mean more human rights violations,” he said.

Duterte’s leftist allies also urged their colleagues in Congress to subject the President’s extension request to exhaustive debates.

“First, we have to determine if there is a need to extend martial law. Then, we will decide for how long. It is not the President who determines the length of extension; it is Congress, which should be given enough time to look into the basis of the request,” Tinio said.

He said if Congress approves the President’s extended martial rule proposal on Saturday, “then that is railroading, and we will be surrendering our constitutional duty to look into the basis of an extension to the President.”

Opposition Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. said Duterte and the military should justify their request for a five-month extension of martial law.

He said five more months of martial rule means that the military has failed to contain the problem in Marawi City.

The bishop of war-torn Marawi City also expressed his opposition to extending martial law in Mindanao.

Bishop Edwin dela Peña believed that if President Duterte could not crush the extremist Maute group within the 60day period of martial law, this might question the capability of the government to defeat the Muslim extremists.

“I am not in favor of prolonging the implementation of martial law. Martial law is a great inconvenience in the daily lives, transportation and livelihood of the citizens,” Dela Peña said.

Militant groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) vowed to oppose the extension of martial law in Mindanao. Renato Reyes of Bayan warned Duterte has already placed the entire nation under a state of national emergency, which he claimed could be prelude to nationwide military rule.

“He is already empowered to call on the military to quell any act of lawless violence, including acts of terrorism,” Reyes said. “We call on Congress not to be a party to this dangerous ploy. We call on the people to resist such moves to impose a military dictatorship on the country,” he said.

Support

Other lawmakers, however, are supporting the proposed extension of martial law.

“I am in favor of it together with the majority of Filipinos who have given the President higher approval and trust ratings after his declaration of martial law in Mindanao,” Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said.

For his part, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said Duterte’s request deserves the support of Congress.

“The President needs help to preserve peace in Mindanao. He knows a lot of vital information that the public does not know for security reasons. We should support a President that enjoys a very huge acceptance rating in a recent survey,” he said.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said the President and the military have not committed abuses during two months of martial law in Mindanao.

“This was validated by survey results indicating that Mindanaoans are in favor of martial law,” he said.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu said the President based his request on intelligence information that he alone has access to.

“We should support him,” Abu said. –