FIGHTING REDS A man joins a protest rally in Manila denouncing communist rebels for recruiting the youth and collecting revolutionary taxes in rural communities. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has denounced the Anti-Terrorism Council’s (ATC) formal labeling of the group and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) as “terrorists.”
The CPP, in a statement released on its 52nd founding anniversary on Saturday, said that such designation by the executive ATC is “a precursor for heightened fascist suppression against the broad democratic forces which are being red-baited and persecuted for fighting [President Rodrigo] Duterte’s tyrannical rule and schemes to perpetuate the Duterte political dynasty.”
“The regime is setting the stage for all-out suppression of democratic rights using ‘anti-terrorism’ as pretext,” CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said.
The ATC, in its Resolution No. 12 dated Dec. 9, said it found “probable cause that the CPP/NPA committed or conspired to commit the acts defined and penalized under Section 4 of the ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act) and hereby designates the CPP/NPA as terrorist organizations, associations or groups of persons.”
The resolution, signed by ATC chairman Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, also mentioned the petition filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking to declare the communist group and its armed body as terrorist and outlawed organizations.
The CPP, meanwhile, further contested the ATC’s designation against the group, saying that based on the anti-terror law, the council can “adopt the terrorist proscription by foreign countries (including that of the United States) if there is a request for designation coming from these jurisdictions.”
“The ATC does not cite any such request made by the US, New Zealand or the European Union,” Valbuena said.
Valvbuena added that the CPP and NPA “stand against terrorism which involves inflicting violence on unarmed civilians in violation of international humanitarian law.”
“The national democratic cause of CPP and NPA has long been recognized as legitimate. Its status of belligerency is recognized practically by various countries and international organizations. Recently, the United Nations Secretary General acknowledged the CPP and NPA’s ceasefire declaration issued in respond to the UNSG’s call for a global ceasefire in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Valbuena said.
“For many years, the Royal Norwegian Government has served as Third Party Facilitator of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP),” he added.
“As a belligerent in the civil war, the NPA formally recognizes and applies the Geneva Conventions in the conduct of its military operations. The NPA’s Three Rules of Discipline and Eights Points of Attention, which serve as the moral code of its Red fighters, both uphold respect and guarantee for the rights and welfare of the people.”
This year, Duterte said that there will be no ceasefire between the government and communist rebels for the holiday season — or “ever again” — under the present administration.