Army supports permanent termination of talks by gov't with communists
The Philippine Army supports the permanent termination of the peace negotiation by the government with the communists as announced by President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday.
“The Philippine Army supports the decision of the President to terminate the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF,” said Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, spokesman of the Philippine Army, Friday.
“We commit to the pro-peace and development thrusts of the government which is centered on the whole-of-nation approach to attain inclusive and sustainable peace. Rest assured that your Army, in partnership with our stakeholders, will steadfastly serve the people and secure the land,” he added.
During the 122nd founding anniversary of the Philippine Army, Duterte announced the permanent termination of the peace negotiation with the communists.
"I am officially announcing the permanent termination of our talks between the government panel and the Communist Party of the Phillippines," Duterte said.
"I would like to announce that I am no longer entertaining any interventions or maybe persuasions in this democratic state of the Republic of the Philippines,” he added.
Duterte reiterate he wanted to end threat groups as well as the illegal drug problem in the country within his term.
"I'd like to finish this war both Abu Sayyaf and communist and the drug problem in about three years," he said.
"God willing, we’ll be able maybe just not completely eradicate but reduce the activities or the illegal trade and the fighting to the veriest minimum....," he added.
Zagala said “the Army will ensure that all available capabilities and resources will be downloaded to our troops on the ground in order to be more effective and efficient in addressing the different terror threats. “
“To end the communist armed conflict the soonest possible time with a whole of government approach,” he added.
Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade, AFP deputy chief of staff for civil military operations, said the peace talks give rebels a lot of opportunities.
"Thirty-one years of deceptive ploys using peace talks, across five administrations, only resulted to more terrorist NPAs being released, an opportunity for the CTG ( communist terrorist group) to recruit and recover lost areas of influence, publicity for Joma in the international arena as a 'dove', wasted government funds spent for negotiations and junket, opportunity losses for investments and development because of prolonged and intermittent fighting, politicians kowtowing with NPAs for survival especially during elections, but leaving the government empty handed," he said.
"They had their best chance when peace was offered again to them by PRRD ( President Rodrigo Roa Duterte), offering cabinet posts in good faith for them to help in good governance but they blew it by attacking projects, killing society forces, and even innocent civilians," he noted.
"Now that their foreign sources of funding are threatened and droves of regular NPAs are surrendering with our e-CLIP, they again attempted to reach out to the President. We can't expect a better result with another round of talks, without Joma changing his end state which is still a national democratic revolution and supplanting our gov't with a 'proletarian dictatorship'," he added. Robina Asido/DMS
