NPA attacks raise doubts on peace talks

The recent attacks by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels fuel public doubts on the resumption of peace talks with the communists, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella cited the disarming of officials involved in counterinsurgency efforts in Sarangani and South Cotabato, kidnapping of a tribal leader and a militiaman in Surigao del Sur as well as the killing of a policeman and attack on a military convoy in Masbate last week.

“The government will undertake appropriate steps to deal decisively with these forces that seem to have lost their sense of nation-building,” Abella said.

Last month, President Duterte said he was open to resuming talks with the communists after the rebels released a policeman they kidnapped in Davao Oriental last June.

“If you want to resume the talks, I am not averse to the idea. But let me sort out first the other branches of government,” the President had said.

As this developed, Alex Gawilan, alias Banate, the head of the Sentro De Gravidad group of the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 53 in North Cotabato, surrendered in Arakan town on Sunday.

Gawilan also turned over his M16 rifle to the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion.

“The NPA says it is fighting for human rights but uses outlawed armaments against unarmed targets,” Gawilan told reporters when asked why he decided to surrender.

Police said Gawilan’s group was behind recent attacks in Arakan, President Roxas and Magpet towns.