Reds’ continued attacks amid peace talks confuse DND

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) is “confused” by the signals being sent by leftist rebels after the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) issued another statement directing its ground forces to continue launching offensives despite the ongoing peace talks. 

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the action of the CPP is “not conducive to talking about peace.”

“How can you talk about peace but the other side is attacking police and military?” he told reporters yesterday at Malacañang.

“That’s confusing… We have to have a bilateral ceasefire then we talk. How can we have meaningful talks if we continue to fight with each other? I’m confused with them. They want to talk but refuse to stop the fighting,” he added.

Lorenzana believes the rebels do not want to lay down their arms because they are earning a lot from what he described as “extortion” activities. 

The government suspended the fifth round of talks with the communists in May after the CPP had ordered the New People’s Army (NPA), its armed wing, to intensify offensives against government forces implementing martial law in Mindanao. 

The National Democratic Front (NDF), the communists’ negotiating panel, then asked the rebel forces to refrain from attacking soldiers and policemen in Mindanao so that they could focus on clearing Marawi City of terrorists. The government reciprocated the declaration.

Some rebel fighters, however, figured in violent incidents in Iloilo and Davao after the NDF issued the directive. 

In a statement released during the first anniversary of the Duterte administration, the CPP said the NPA must “do everything to rapidly build new platoons and companies of regular guerrilla forces and local guerrilla units to enable the people the opportunity to rise up with arms against their exploiters and oppressors.”  

“In the face of the Duterte regime’s all-out war, the NPA must continue to seize the initiative and carry out more and more tactical offensives nationwide in order to derail and blunt the all-out attacks of the (Armed Forces of the Philippines), punish the most notorious human rights abusers, defend the interests of the people and bring forward the people’s war,” the CPP said.