Gov’t asks court to declare communist rebels terrorists

The government on Wednesday asked a court to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), terrorist organizations, dashing already faint hopes of recovering the tattered peace process.

The petition filed by the Department of Justice before the Manila Regional Trial Court sought to formally terminate peace talks with Maoist rebels, a week after a Norwegian diplomat tried to convince President Duterte to restart negotiations that he had scrapped in anger at what he considered duplicity by the communists.

The government has a policy not to negotiate with terrorists, like the Abu Sayyaf militants.

‘Merely buying time’

State Prosecutor Peter Ong said the rebels were “merely buying time by deceiving the government in entering into peace talks” because their main agenda was to overthrow the duly constituted authorities.

Mr. Duterte is particularly aggrieved by the failure of a peace process that he made a priority and restarted in August 2016, within a few weeks of taking office. He freed some rebel leaders from jail and gave Cabinet posts to several known leftists as a show of good faith.

Activist groups

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos

Isagani Zarate said the government move could result in more human rights abuses against critics of the Duterte administration as state forces go after alleged “support structures” of the CPP-NPA such as activist groups deemed to be legal fronts.

Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said the rebels deserved the terrorist tag.

“I am sorry for them. They had it coming. They have committed many acts of terror,” Dela Rosa told reporters.

He accused the rebels of sabotaging countryside development to keep rural areas poor.

“Would anybody still believe them if Filipinos are living the good life? No one (will). They will lose their significance, relevance,” he said. —WITH REPORTS FROM JEANNEATTE I. ANDRADE, AND VINCE F. NONATO