New People’s Army guerrillas stand in formation inside a rebel camp deep in the Sierra Madre mountains in this 2016 file photo. —BOY BAGWIS/CONTRIBUTOR
The supposed antagonism between President Rodrigo Duterte and communist leaders could be part of a “grand scheme” to use insurgent attacks as an excuse to declare a revolutionary government (RevGov), a lawmaker said on Saturday.
“Wittingly or unwittingly, the communists could be part of this scheme,” said Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, a former rebel Marine captain, in a statement.
Alejano suggested there might be a connection between Mr. Duterte’s increasingly hostility to communist leaders he previously called friends and moves to declare a revolutionary government.
Alejano said Mr. Duterte’s seeming antagonism with the communists could result in more and intensified militant attacks, which would justify a revolutionary government.
“Communist groups have long been waging acts to bring down the democratic government regardless of who the sitting president is, yet President Duterte immediately and comfortably appointed communist allies in the Cabinet and other high-ranking government posts,” he said.
Though former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo and Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano have been rejected by the Commission on Appointments, some leftists remain in government.
Among them are Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod, National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza and Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chair Terry Ridon.
Peace talks
Moreover, Alejano said Mr. Duterte’s public pronouncements against the leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA) and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) did not jibe with his actions.
“The repeated threats of declaring a revolutionary government by the President, his continuing relationship with the CPP-NPA-NDFP, and the disjointed and disparate policy against communist rebels are something to be wary about,” Alejano said.
“Based on the information I received, backdoor negotiations between the peace panels have continued even after President Duterte discredited the importance of pursing peace talks with the communist groups,” he said.
“In fact, as a result of these backdoor negotiations, a proposed simultaneous signing of agreements this December between the peace-negotiating panels is being prepared,” Alejano said.
He said these agreements include the contentious Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms, a general amnesty to political prisoners, and an Agreement on Coordinated Unilateral Ceasefire.
“Specifically contained in the ceasefire agreement would be a stand-down order to (the Armed Forces of the Philippines) while NPA units remain in their designated zones,” Alejano said.
‘Puzzling’
“Further, Duterte has not yet transmitted a formal notice of termination of peace talks to the negotiating panels,” he added.
Alejano said: “It is puzzling that while President Duterte is lambasting the CPP-NPA in public, backdoor negotiations with the NDFP continue.”
“The people and other government institutions, particularly the military, should remain vigilant and critical [of] such machinations meant to violate the Constitution and destroy our democratic government,” he said.