News Briefs: Jan. 10, 2019

Sison doubts government could end insurgency in 3 years

Communist Party of the Philippines  founding chair Jose Maria Sison on Wednesday said he doubted the government’s target of ending insurgency within the remaining three years of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.

Saying that the President would be more concerned with his political survival for the duration of his presidency, Sison suggested the resumption of genuine peace talks as the only way by which he could deliver on his promise at a shorter time.

“The scheme [of ending insurgency] will surely fail from day to day, week to week, month to month, and from year to year as the NPA (New People’s Army) will intensify tactical offensives and mass work,” Sison said in a statement posted on his Facebook account.

Government security forces, he said, “cannot accomplish in three years what they failed to accomplish in 50 years.” —Jeannette I. Andrade

With BRP Del Pilar sidelined, DND may ask US for 4th cutter

The Department of National Defense (DND) is studying the possibility of acquiring a fourth Hamilton-class cutter from the US Coast Guard (USGC), which has been gradually decommissioning the vessels in favor of more modern types.

One of the Philippine Navy’s three former Hamilton cutters, its flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15), could be sidelined until the end of the year after it ran aground at Hasa-Hasa Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, four months ago.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday said his department would “not actively ask” for the fourth cutter, although the Navy lacked high-endurance vessels.

“If [USGC] makes an offer, we will study if it would be favorable to us,” he said. The USGC has three remaining Hamilton-class cutters from its old fleet of 12. —Jeannette I. Andrade