AFP says martial law provision vs NPA won’t affect peace talks
The military on Wednesday said the peace talks between the government and communist party won’t be affected despite the New People’s Army (NPA) being on the target list of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under martial law.
Under the AFP Operational Directive Number 2 2017 or the AFP’s Implementation of Martial Law, one of key tasks was to degrade the armed capabilities of the NPA.
“They (communists) issued a directive that said they should heighten or enhance the attack against the PNP and the Armed Forces,” AFP Spokesperson Restituto Padilla said in a Palace briefing.
“That was just an answer to that. If there were no declaration then that would not have been a problem,” Padilla added.
The military official said degrading the capability of the communist rebels was part of the military’s operation amid the intensified attacks of the NPA fighters.
“It’s a tit for tat, so why would we not forewarn our men, like what the secretary has mentioned, if we know that they are leaning forward to attack and destroy our forces?” he said.
Padilla said this won’t affect the peace talks of the government with the NPA’s political arm National Democratic Front.
“Having that does not necessarily mean that we’re stopping the peace talks. So, actually the NPA and the Armed Forces are in a talk and fight and fight and talk situation,” he said.
But he said a ceasefire would be better while the peace talks are ongoing.
“But it would have been more desirable to have the silencing of the guns when the peace talk is ongoing. But the commitment to continue with the peace talks is there. The government is sincere in showing many times over, the Armed Forces has done the same,” he said.
“We are waiting for the act of sincerity on the part of the other party as well, but it does not necessarily mean na ititigil na ‘yung peace talks so the President has made a declaration and an openness to have the formality of the peace talks resumed once again. So that’s a good indication because we still have the capacity to revive what we are doing,” he added.
Chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III on Tuesday said the government and the NDF would resume the stalled fifth round of talks in August. JPV
READ: Gov’t-NDF stalled peace talks resume in August
