AFP renews call for rebels to join government peace efforts

MANILA, Philippines – On the eve of the 47th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the military called on the rebels to abandon the armed struggle and join mainstream society.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla said the Maoist rebels have been waging a violent insurgency for too long and it is time for them to live peaceful lives.

“The AFP hopes that eventually our brothers and sisters will come to their senses, lay down their arms and join the government in working for the betterment of our people,” Padilla said.

Padilla said the communist insurgency in the country is weakening but remains a security issue.

“Although they are waning, the bearing of arms still poses a serious challenge,” he said.

The CPP was founded on Dec. 26, 1968 by Jose Maria Sison, who has been on self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987.

The party’s armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), has about 4,000 members nationwide, based on recent military estimates. The figure has not been reduced significantly since 2010 despite the military’s claim that the communist insurgency is declining.

The CPP has declared a 12-day ceasefire that started last Dec. 23 in support of the stalled peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). The NDFP represents the CPP and the NPA in the peace negotiations.

The government reciprocated the CPP declaration and announced a holiday truce that also took effect last Dec. 23 and will end on Jan. 3. 

The military, however, claimed NPA rebels violated the ceasefire when they staged attacks against soldiers in Surigao del Sur, Bukidnon and Davao City early this week.  

“With the latest harassment conducted by the NPA rebels against government troops during the holiday season, it is apparent that the CPP leadership has no control over the NPA members. These attacks also show that the NPA members cannot be trusted to fulfill their commitments,” said Capt. Alberto Caber, spokesman of the Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command.

The CPP has yet to respond to the military’s allegations. 

In the spirit of Christmas, Eastmincom commander Maj. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero called on the NPA to abandon its armed struggle.

“I sincerely call on the remaining NPA members to abandon the armed struggle, rejoin mainstream society and live a peaceful life with their families,”  Guerrero said.

Padilla said the military remains supportive of the peace talks between the government and the communists. He said access to basic services and development would convince the rebels to support the government’s peace efforts.

“We remain open to the peace talks. Once these people see an alternative lifestyle and experience development, they will abandon insurgency,” he said.

Peace negotiations with the NDFP hit a snag in 2013 after the government panel rejected a demand to release communist leaders facing criminal cases.

NDFP claimed the detained communists, including suspected NPA leaders, are “peace consultants” and should be immune from arrest. The communist panel said the release of peace consultants is in line with the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) signed by the government and the NDFP in 1995.

The government panel, however, said NDFP had failed to prove that the jailed insurgents, especially those using aliases, were really peace consultants covered by JASIG.

Officials said government and NDFP negotiators went to the Netherlands in July 2011 to determine if the jailed insurgents are covered by immunity guarantees. They agreed to open a sealed envelope containing the photos and aliases of the NDFP peace consultants.

The envelope, however, contained diskettes that could not be opened. – With Edith Regalado