Just and lasting peace

In a previous announcement, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) said they would not be declaring a holiday truce with the government this year. While I am not surprised due to their continued duplicity, on the other hand, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, through its National Security Adviser and NTF ELCAC vice chair Secretary Eduardo Año, said the CPP-NPA-NDF’s actions have consistently demonstrated a lack of sincerity and commitment to peace.

This holiday season when the theme primarily has been since time immemorial enveloped by peace and goodwill towards all men, the government has also made a call for all Filipinos to stand together against armed ideologies. In the past few months, it has been rather shocking for many of us to see the goings-on at the House of Representatives, where the young people – the Kabataan – and all their rhetoric, including their mishap on the impeachment of the so called “wicked witch of the East,” are undoubtedly telling of the dangers that have now taken centerstage in Congress. Yet, despite all this, both the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as the Philippine National Police stand their ground on the commitment to protect our nation.

Going back to Congress, however, if one can recall, in 2022, former president Rodrigo Duterte, during his weekly talk to the people, alleged that communist insurgents had gained a foothold in the House of Representatives through representation by leftist groups through the party-list system by acting as legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Back then, former president Duterte named at least five groups, including the Alliance for Concerned Teachers or ACT, the very same group that Vice President Sara Duterte has consistently exposed as a fake representative for learners, teachers and those in the education sector.

Decade after decade , our country has struggled with the CPP-NPA-NDF and while I agree that the armed struggle has become weakened (a claim opposed by the CPP themselves by characterizing the statement as disinformation), the bigger question remains whether we, the Filipino people, see the dangers brewing in the House of Representatives, considering that at the end of the day, it is our votes that will determine whether these groups will remain as representatives in Congress.

This therefore makes the upcoming mid-term elections very crucial for our democracy and our country. The impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte have been filed one on top of the other by leftist groups at the House of Representatives, which includes a sitting convicted felon.

It is also important to note that while all this is happening, there are actual activities transpiring in different cities (apart from the countryside) that are held under the guise of developing critical thinkers allegedly meant to help uplift the lives of workers and farmers but with the intent to recruit people into the ranks of the CPP-NPA through the usual methods of agitation and exploitation. It is no coincidence that when young people participated in the impeachment discourse at the House of Representatives that one will be convinced at how carefully guided these articulate young minds have become – unfortunately by the wrong people. No wonder the colossal push for impeachment against Sara Duterte.

Whether any of us like the Dutertes or not, the trouble sits at the House of Representatives where our democracy is at stake. It is up to us voters to ensure that we sustain this and keep a watchful eye on groups that continue to threaten our national interests and security.

Attaining just and lasting peace is everybody’s goal – not just the current administration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police. Civil society needs to be more accountable, now more than ever, as we are the very same people who place our leaders in power. The choice for just and lasting peace is in our hands as a nation – the direction we ultimately choose for our country is also ours to make.