Rody nixes peace talks

Gapay, who previously reminded his troops to ‘remain vigilant and alert,’ also reaffirmed the PA’s readiness to heed orders should Malacañang declare martial law.

Philippine Daily Tribune: April 29, 2020 12:07 AM

By ​Francis Wakefield

Duterte. / PCOO Photo. With the (PA) expressing readiness to implement martial law if it is declared, President on Monday night declined another round of peace talks with the communist rebels.

This could be the last volte-face by the Chief Executive on his earlier avowed aim to settle peace with the Maoist Communist Party of the -New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and its political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

The President adopted the recommendation made by the National Security Council (NSC), which claimed numerous violations by the CPP-NPA-NDFP as a reason for the government’s scrapping of further talks.

Attempts to forge peace were made in 2016-2017 in Oslo, Norway and in December 2018, when Mr. Duterte formed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for “localized peace talks” with individual NPA fronts in the provinces.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines believes that only the NTF-ELCAC remains as a viable venue for talks with the communists after the government had failed another attempt to lure CPP founder Jose Maria Sison back to the table in .

Sison rejected the call as he wanted the peace talks to resume in a neutral venue outside of the Philippines.

Mr. Duterte stressed that he will never be ready for any round of talks with the CPP-NPA, citing the Maoists’ “disrespect to soldiers and policemen conducting humanitarian work in relation to the pandemic.” “My soldiers are being killed while doing the most honorable task of accompanying the government workers delivering money and food. I am so sad about this development but there will always be a time for reckoning,” he said.

“There (are) no more peace talks to talk about. I am not and I will never be ready for any round of talks,” he added.

The NSC backed the President’s pronouncement.

“These communist terrorists have so many violations, even during ceasefires, so they cannot be trusted. Even during this pandemic, they call for the president’s ouster.

They’re out of place,” Secretary Jr., also the National Security Adviser, said.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. , the Commanding General of the PA, assured that the morale of the troops remains high despite the recent offensives by the NPA.

Gapay, who previously reminded his troops to “remain vigilant and alert,” also reaffirmed the PA’s readiness to heed orders should Malacañang declare martial law.

“The Philippine Army is always prepared for whatever task that will be given to us, may it be martial law or whatever,” he added.

To date, almost 13,000 Army personnel have been deployed as force multipliers to the Philippine National Police in enforcing the enhanced community quarantine.

with Kristina Maralit

@tribunephl_tina Subjects : Martial Law , New People’s Army ( NPA)