CPP told: Don’t use Bangsamoro peace pact as ‘propaganda’

By: 11 years ago

AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) told the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) not to use the recently signed Bangsamoro peace agreement as its propaganda tool, after the latter released a statement cautioning the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to be “vigilant” against government “machinations.”

“The peace process is a way for us to solve the problem. (The CPP) should not use it as a propaganda tool to advance [its] armed revolution of overthrowing government,” AFP spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net on Saturday.

He was reacting to a CPP statement pictured the Philippine government as a “cunning enemy” of revolutionary forces.

“We reiterate our previous advice to our MILF ally to be ever-vigilant against a cunning enemy who is after the capitulation, pacification and splitting of revolutionary forces,” the CPP said in a statement congratulating its armed wing the New People’s Army for its 45^th anniversary on Saturday.

The CPP said the government is faced with a short time to pass the Bangsamoro Basic law in Congress, where the CPP expects spoilers to raise constitutional issues before the Supreme Court.

“In order to succeed in upholding the interests of the Moro people, the MILF would have to be extra vigilant and guard against the machinations of the (Philippine government) to discredit the MILF and divide the Moro people,” according to the group, which has been waging one of Asia’s longest running communist insurgency.

Zagala said the CPP should not use in vain the peace agreement, seen as marking the end to Muslim secessionist movement and carving a new, autonomous Bangsamoro region in Mindanao.

“We should not use the peace process in vain… If the [CCP wishes] to find a real solution to the problem, they should join the peace talks,” Zagala said.

Negotiations for peace between government and the CPP’s political wing, the National Democratic Front, broke down in April 2013 due to a consensus that the talks were going nowhere.