Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA—The government challenged Filipino communist rebels on Wednesday to “walk their talk” toward resuming the peace talks after a series of incidents which the President’s peace adviser said had undermined their Christmas ceasefire.
“In blatant disregard of the Christmas season, when our people desire and expect peace and goodwill, the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) reciprocated the government’s gesture of a month-long unilateral ceasefire with acts of senseless violence,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said in a statement.
Deles cited three recent incidents in a span of one week which not only caused destruction to property but resulted in the loss of lives.
“We strongly condemn the pointless violence exercised by the CPP-NPA-NDF. If they are truly serious in their call for the resumption of peace negotiations with the government, we challenge them to walk their talk and stop harassing development projects, civilians and unarmed soldiers on holiday. There is no way to peace but through peace,” Deles said.
A unilateral suspension of military and police operations took effect on Dec. 19 to end on Jan. 19, the day Pope Francis wraps up his four-day visit to the Philippines.
Deles denounced the NPA’s torching of building construction equipment in Paracale, Camarines Norte, and the burning of a civilian vehicle in Agusan del Sur on Dec. 22.
“Both acts were committed in retaliation of the civilians’ refusal to give in to their extortion,” Deles said.
The next day, communist rebels abducted Compostela Valley jail warden Jose Mervin Gementiza Coquilla in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
On Dec. 29, the NPA was suspected in the killing of Lt. Ronald Bautista, Pfc. Albert Amor and military volunteer Renel Baluca in Sitio Barigyan, Mabini, Compostela Valley.
Deles said the three men were “unarmed soldiers in civilian clothes on their way to spend the holidays with their families when they were shot pointblank by members of the NPA.”
Before Christmas, NDF founding chair Jose Ma. Sison said the CPP was ready to talk peace again with the government, and did not discount the possibility of a meeting with President Aquino as a confidence building measure.
Back-channel efforts are going on between “friends” of both parties, as Deles described the negotiators, who are working toward the resumption of the peace talks.
Sison said the on-again off-again negotiations might resume in the second half of January, after the visit of Pope Francis.