Rody to Reds: End extortion for peace talks resumption

MANILA, Philippines - Stop collecting revolutionary taxes and attacking government forces.

These are the terms President Duterte has set for the communist rebels before resuming negotiations today, Palace officials said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte had set the terms before the government accedes to the declaration of a bilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels.

The President stood firm on his earlier statements that he wants the New People’s Army (NPA) to stop collecting “revolutionary taxes,” attacking government forces as well as destroying the properties of private firms in the countryside.

Undersecretary Nabil Tan of Office of the Presidential Peace Adviser of the Peace Process said the President wanted the government panel to reiterate the terms before going for a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

Abella, for his part, said Duterte wanted clear parameters for a ceasefire declaration as well as not recognizing any territorial claims by the communists.

The CPP-NPA-NDF should cease the collection of revolutionary tax and the conduct of extortion and arson, Abella said.

He said the communists should show a sign of goodwill by releasing all their captives.

The NDF, the umbrella group representing the CPP-NPA in the peace talks, is looking to forge a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the government during the talks.

NDF peace panel chairman Fidel Agcaoili said they are willing to be “flexible” and are hoping for the discussion of declaration of a bilateral ceasefire with the government, in place of the canceled unilateral ceasefire declarations by both sides.

Agcaoili said the government’s last minute announcement not to restore its unilateral ceasefire constitutes an unexpected departure from the backchannel agreement.

On March 11, both parties agreed to simultaneously reinstate their respective unilateral truce before the start of the fourth round of peace talks starting today in the Netherlands.

Duterte, however, refused to restore the government’s unilateral ceasefire, pointing out the spate of NPA attacks against government forces, burning down heavy equipment and continuous collection of revolutionary taxes in the rural areas.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana appealed to the public to resist the NPA, describing the rebel group as thugs and terrorists.

“I, therefore, call upon all peace-loving Filipinos to resist these thugs, these terrorists who have brought nothing but misery to the people in the past 48 years. Let us resist their extortion activities because giving in will make them strong and perpetuate criminal acts,” he said.

Lorenzana said that in the past weeks, the NPA have been into burning of heavy equipment and properties of companies that build roads, export produce and provide transportation services.

He said the rebels also attacked and ambushed military and police personnel who were on duty as well as those who were on home leaves.

The sudden increase in atrocities committed by the NPA has been monitored over the past days in Northern Mindanao, Davao and Caraga region, South Cotabato, Eastern Visayas, Southern and Northern Luzon.

Last Thursday, around 150 NPA rebels attacked and overran an Army outpost at Barangay Geparayan, Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar.

Four civilians were wounded in the crossfire at the height of the rebel assault.

Before taking off with high-powered firearms, the rebels also torched and flattened the Army outpost.

Earlier, the rebels burned the storage facility of DOLE Philippines in General Santos City, aside from hijacking and burning passenger buses in South Cotabato and ambushing soldiers in the Davao region.

In Northern Luzon, the rebels detonated a roadside bomb intended for an Army convoy in Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur last Wednesday. No one was hurt during the explosion.

At least 10 NPA rebels and two soldiers were killed in a two-hour gunfight in General Nakar, in Quezon, also last Thursday.

“They did these nefarious acts after they have asked for the resumption of peace talks and after they have announced that they will go on a unilateral ceasefire. They are anti-development, anti-progress and anti-poor,” Lorenzana said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military, while in full support of the peace talks, will continue to maintain its vigilance against NPA atrocities.

Padilla also ruled out the AFP’s declaring a unilateral ceasefire against the NPAs until President Duterte, as the commander-in-chief, issues the order. – Christina Mendez, Jaime Laude, Artemio Dumlao, Raymund Catindig