The New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has lost their sense of nation-building amid their continued attacks against government forces, Malacañang declared on Monday.
In a briefing at the Palace, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the offensives carried out by the communist rebels have cast doubt on the peace talks with the government.
“The New People’s Army, NPA attacks in Sarangani, South Cotabato, Surigao del Sur, Palawan and Masbate fuels the public’s doubt about the talks with the group,” Abella noted.
The rebels were able to disarm village officials and members of the civilian volunteers organization involved in the government’s anti-insurgency campaign in Kiamba, Sarangani and T’boli, South Cotabato last week.
The rebels also abducted a tribe leader and a CAFGU member in Surigao del Sur and ambushed a military convoy in Palawan, and killed a policeman in Masbate.
“The government will undertake appropriate steps to deal decisively with these forces that seem to have lost their sense of nation-building,” Abella said.
Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte said peace talks with the communists would just be a waste of money.
He made the remark days after he said that he was open to resume peace talks if the communists declare a ceasefire.
In July, Duterte ended the peace talks with the communists following a series of attacks carried out by the NPA against government forces. He even said that he will not allow the resumption of peace talks unless the NPA stops its extortion activities.
The fifth round of peace talks with the rebels was suspended on May 27, after the government panel withdrew from the negotiating table following the CPP’s directive to NPA guerrillas to intensify offensives against government security forces. /kga