The New People’s Army will not have a place in a Mar Roxas administration if the communist insurgents will not engage in peace talks with the government.
The Liberal Party standard-bearer made this pronouncement after hitting Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for “coddling and supporting” the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which has been waging a Maoist-inspired war against the government for the past 46 years.
Roxas on Friday criticized Duterte for encouraging the payment of “revolutionary taxes” and “permits to campaign” imposed by communist guerrillas to businessmen and politicians.
“Anong masasabi natin sa isang commander-in-chief na kumukupkop, na tumutulong sa ating mga kalabang NPA? Itong mga NPA na ito, na pumapatay sa ating mga kapulisan at kasundaluhan?” said Roxas during an ambush interview in Pasay City.
“Ang pangulo, ang trabaho ng pangulo ay para ipatupad ang batas sa ating bansa, hindi para sang-ayunan itong mga bagay na ito na ilegal at labag sa lahat ng mga prinsipyo ng ating bansa.”
Roxas, with his running mate Leni Robredo, was at the jampacked Cuneta Astrodome to present his program dubbed “Bukid Revolution” for the agriculture sector before thousands of farmers and fisherfolk.
“Ang NPA ay kalaban po natin. Pumapatay po sila ng ating kapulisan at kasundaluhan. Sinasakop po nila, kumukolekta po sila ng mga buwis mula sa mga magsasaka, mula sa mga indigenous peoples. Sila po ay kalaban sa ating kaunlaran,” Roxas continued.
Duterte, the current survey front-runner, has openly declared his support for the NPA even before announcing his bid for presidency.
In one of his speaking engagements last year, Duterte urged the rebels to end the fighting and promised a peaceful life if he wins as president.
In his previous speech, Duterte said: “I have to invite (Jose Maria) Sison to come home. I also asked Murad (Ebrahim) and (Ghadzali) Jaafar, why are we fighting here? Let’s fight Manila (instead),” Duterte said. RC
