Word war between AFP, NPA on amid truce

MANILA, Philippines - The holiday truce between the government and the communist rebels did not  stop them from engaging in a word war or calling each other names.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista is challenging the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) to a debate after the latter described his proposal for a “ceasefire forever” as “moronic.”

“As Gen. Bautista said, if they (CPP) want, let’s have a public debate to determine who the real moron is,” Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr. said in an interview Monday.

"The CPP-NPA (New People’s Army)-NDF (National Democratic Front) are deceiving the Filipino people on this matter,” he added.

When asked if Bautista was offended by the CPP’s statement, Tutaan said: “Actually the Chief of Staff is not offended by it. He is concerned because this just goes to show that the CPP-NPA-NDF is not really sincere in having  a lasting peace.”

The government has declared a holiday ceasefire with communist rebels that took effect last Dec. 20 and will last until Jan. 15.

Before that, the CPP approved a shorter truce to be implemented from Dec. 24 to 26 and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2.

Bautista said the rebels’ truce is too short and that he prefers to have a ceasefire that lasts forever.

The CPP, however, said Bautista’s proposal is “moronic” and could lead to abuses, environmental destruction and land-grabbing.

“To declare a ceasefire ‘to last forever’ will only bring forth an eternal hell of military abuses, land grabbing and environmental destruction,” CPP said in a statement.

The group said Bautista’s remarks reflect the military’s “inability to understand the deep-seated reasons behind the Filipino people’s armed resistance.”

Tutaan scored the rebels for their refusal to abandon the armed struggle. 

“Instead of name-calling, why can’t the CPP-NPA explain to the people why it cannot have a prolonged ceasefire when it is already a fact that (there is) a very big public clamor to end armed conflict,” Tutaan said.

“The people clamor for peace. The people clamor for the end of armed conflict or violence. The people clamor for end of the burning of construction materials due to extortion activities. That’s the reason why the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) would want to have a prolonged peace,” he added.