NPA attacks as ground for martial law threat to peace talks – Joma

LUCENA CITY — Making New People’s Army (NPA) attacks a ground for the declaration of martial law as a proposed amendment to the 1987 Constitution threatens the success of peace talks between the government and communist insurgents, according to exiled Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria “Joma” Sison.

“[The] drive of the pro-Duterte elements is an indication that the threat of martial rule, being declared before or after Charter change, continues to exist and does not augur well for the resumption and success of … peace negotiations while Duterte is the President,” Sison said in an online interview on Wednesday.

‘Roots of armed conflict’

“Instead of trying to scapegoat the NPA and make it the pretext for martial law declaration, state terrorism and fascist dictatorship, the Duterte regime should let the … peace negotiations succeed in addressing the roots of the armed conflict and laying the ground for a just and lasting peace through comprehensive agreements on social, economic and political reforms,” he said.

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Eduardo Nachura, a member of consultative committee tasked by President Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution, announced on Wednesday that the panel had approved proposed grounds for the imposition of martial law, including a “series of attacks” by the NPA.

‘Lawless violence’

He said “lawless violence” was added to rebellion and invasion as reasons for the President to impose martial law.

Sison, who is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, claimed that within the consultative panel, “there is the drive of certain pro-Duterte elements headed by a retired general to draw up a draft federal charter that makes easier the declaration of martial law by citing ‘lawless violence’ or a ‘series of offensives’ by the NPA as [a] basis for the declaration of martial law.”

Retired Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Bocobo, a member of the committee, said on Wednesday that he made the proposal to enable the Philippines to respond to terrorism and violent extremism.