NPA ‘sabotaging’ peace talks, says defense chief

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday accused the New People’s Army of sabotaging the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front.

As the peace talks were ongoing in Rome over the weekend, an encounter between government forces and the NPA in Makilala, North Cotabato left one rebel dead.

Lorenzana said it was originally a police operation that was responding to reports of extortion. The police only sought for the military’s assistance later on.

“It turned out that na hindi pala sila usual criminals but NPA. Now they accuse us of sabotaging the peace talks because we will not also stop our operations against lawless elements in the area. Nagkataon lang na NPA ‘to,” he said.

The NDFP earlier blamed state forces of sabotaging the peace talks after the Makilala encounter, while the military said it was an isolated incident.

“What were they doing there? They were doing some lawless acts, that’s why they were reported by the people. So that does constitute into sabotaging the talks,” Lorenzana said.

“In fact, I would I would throw back the question to them. What are they doing there with their firearms in the populated areas? So in a way, they are the ones sabotaging the peace talks,” he added.

The defense chief also raised the issue on the buses torched by the NPA in South Cotabato in recent months.

“After they declared the unilateral ceasefire, in South Cotabato, my hometown, they kept burning buses from November to December,” Lorenzana said.

“They burned at least five buses because the owner of the bus does not want to pay P2.5 million a month,” he said.

Lorenzana said that while they “respect” the peace talks, they will continue to operate in areas where activities of “lawless elements” are reported.

“If they turn out that they are NPAs, then so be it. Habulin namin sila,” he said. JE