SOMEWHERE IN MINDANAO—Deep in the nippy forest and amid a heavy downpour, hundreds of young recruits of the New Peoples Army (NPA) marked the 40th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Friday.

A speech from Jorge Madlos, alias “Ka Oris,” the National Democratic Front spokesperson in Mindanao, drew applause from the armed guerrillas.

A parade, the singing of the workers’ hymn “Internationale,” a small feast and drama performances capped the celebration.

The Philippine communist insurgency is one of the longest in Asia, but the rebels appeared determined to wage a protracted war until pressing key issues have been resolved.

“Unless land reform is implemented benefiting poor farmers, unless extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses are corrected, we will continue to fight,” Madlos told a few journalists allowed to cover the event.

“We are interested in the peace talks but not laying down of firearms as a precondition,” he said.

Asked about military claims that the NPA has coalesced tactically with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in some aspect of their revolutionary struggle, Madlos said: “We have a long relationship.”

He said the two groups were exchanging training and expertise such as in bomb-making.

The cooperation between the two rebel groups was tested during the time of President Joseph Estrada who waged an all-out-war against the MILF. Madlos said the NPA lent a hand at that time, but did not specify what it was.

When the NPA was in the losing end in some of its encounters, Madlos said the MILF was there also to help. He said the CPP-led struggle would continue even though other allies had already abandoned the idea of a socialist movement.

Madlos said the CPP hierarchy may have been under the terror tag of the United States and European Union, but the party would continue to advance its movement, especially at times when the country is in great economic distress.

Asked what can he say about being a communist leader of more than three decades, Madlos said: “If given another 50 years, I’ll do it again.”

In Baguio City, Avelino Razon, deputy adviser of the National Security Council, said he briefed President Macapagal-Arroyo on the insurgency yesterday, pointing out that the NPA is in disarray and that the CPP founder, self-exiled Jose Maria Sison, has lost his grip on his rebellion.

With a report from Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon