Joma: Duterte’s ouster is CPP’s priority in 2019

DAVAO CITY—Exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said the CPP’s priority for 2019 would be the ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) is authorized to be open to peace negotiations with the current and prospective regime of the reactionary government, but its principal work now is to work for the ouster of the Duterte regime,” Sison said in a statement on Wednesday.

Sison said the Duterte administration was not serious in negotiating peace with the communist group, saying it had abandoned its commitment to address the decadeslong conflict, especially in achieving a just and lasting peace in the country.

Not interested in peace

“Duterte is not interested in serious peace negotiations to address the roots of the armed conflict and make comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms in order to lay the basis for a just and lasting peace,” Sison said.

According to Sison, Mr. Duterte did not reciprocate the gestures of peace shown by the NDFP, the CPP’s political arm, when it issued presidential proclamations and executive orders to terminate with finality the stalled peace talks between the government and the communists.

He also slammed the demand of the Duterte administration that communist rebels should surrender as a condition for the resumption of the peace talks.

“He has issued proclamations and executive orders in order to terminate peace negotiations and further render them impossible during his rule. What he wants is the impossible, which is the surrender of the revolutionary movement of the people,” Sison said.

Sison also warned that the socio-economic and political crisis was bound to worsen this year because of the government’s imposition of heavier taxes.