CPP denounces killing of peace consultant

Randy Felix Malayao. PHOTO from Raymund B Villanueva’s Facebook

LUCENA CITY – The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) strongly condemned the killing of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Randy Felix Malayao.

“The killing of Malayao, as well as the illegal arrests of NDFP peace consultants Adelberto Silva, Rafael Baylosis, Vic Ladlad, and Rey Casambre, displays the Duterte regime’s disdain for negotiating peace with the NDFP, let alone in respecting and implementing the Joint
Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees,” the CPP said in a statement Wednesday.

The CPP condoled with Malayao’s family, friends, and comrades.

“He (Malayao) offered most of his years, from the Visayas to Cagayan Valley, in working with the masses in their struggle for land, wages, and other rights,” the CPP said.

Before President Duterte canceled the peace talks with the NDFP in November 2017, Malayao attended formal peace negotiations as a peace consultant from Cagayan Valley.

Malayao also acted as one of the spokespersons of the NDFP negotiating panel in Europe.

Malayao was shot dead inside a bus in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya early dawn Wednesday.

Malayao had no criminal charges before government courts, which allowed him to freely move around the country to attend peace-related activities.