EX-REBEL BARES TRUTH. Former rebel "Ka Dada" shares to various youth organizations why peace talks fail despite aggressive efforts from the government, during a forum at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City on Wednesday (Dec. 18, 2019). The former rebel said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) only takes advantage of the immunity offered by the government during the peace talks negotiations to reorganize their group. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga)
MANILA -- A former rebel on Wednesday bared that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) never really wanted to come to terms with the Philippine government, amid talks of a possible resumption of peace negotiations.
“Hindi sila seryoso talaga and hindi sila naniniwala, isa lamang itong reporma para makakuha sila ng exposure para maka ginansya sila (They were not really serious and they do not believe in it, for them, this is just a reform so they could gain exposure and use it to extort money),” said a former rebel, identified as alias "Ka Dada," in a forum at the Asian Center at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.
"Ka Angel", another former rebel, discussed how peace talks were utilized by the CPP-NPA to resume their recruitment operations.
“Ito yung panahon na nagkakaroon po ng pag-aayos sa loob ng organisasyon at programa. Ang peace talks ay bahagi po lamang ng gawaing legal upang tuloy-tuloy pa rin sila sa kanyang misyon ng recruitment, sa mga legal front na kanyang nilalanguyan. Parte lang po ito, pero hindi po talaga nila layunin na magkaayos (This is the time when they fix structures and programs in the organization. The communists have used the peace talks so their recruitment would still continue through their legal fronts. This is just a part of that, they never really want to be in good terms with the government),” Ka Angel said.
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) hosted the forum with former rebels as speakers to various youth organizations to provide a discussion on the peace talks with the CPP.
Among the government’s claims as proof of dedication to the peace process is the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), an agreement signed by the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF) in 1995 which guarantees the immunity and safety of individuals involved in the peace talks.
In the agreement, they are granted “free and unhindered passage” across the Philippines and outside the country in relation to their responsibilities in the negotiations.
They are also immune from “surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation or any other similar punitive actions”.
False hopes
Ka Dada said communist rebels have been giving the government false hopes through initiating peace dialogues.
“Basically, pinapaikot lang at pinapaasa ng mga CPP-NPA ang gobyerno na gusto rin nila ng kapayapaan. Ang kapayapaan para sa kanila ay maagaw sa gobyerno ang pamumuno sa ating bansa. Kaya patuloy pa rin ang kanilang ginagawang atrocities kahit nakikipag-usap ang gobyerno sa kanila (Basically, the CPP-NPA are just toying with the government. They act as if they also want peace for everyone. But the only peace for them is overthrowing the government and lead the country. That is why atrocities still occur even with the peace talks going on),” Ka Dada added.
The peace process started during the presidency of Corazon Aquino, who took over former president Ferdinand Marcos, after the victory of EDSA People Power in 1986.
Aquino granted executive clemency to political detainees and the repeal of Marcos’ supposed oppressive laws.
President Rodrigo Duterte, in November 2017, canceled the peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF, citing "tragic and violent incidents all over the country committed by the communist rebels” amid the ceasefire.
Lawyer Reuben Lingating, chairman of the Indigenous People’s Peace Panel of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), said during the forum that since the communists have somehow made the peace talks as a way to strengthen their forces, the government is looking for a more practical and feasible plan.
“You cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking that created them. If there is anything that we shall do, we have to address the root causes of the insurgency,” he said.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., in his speech, said they are working on staging the peace talks here.
"Bakit naman ako makikipag-usap sa'yo sa labas ng bansa samantalang ang luwag-luwag ng Pilipinas, kung talagang alam mo ang pinaglalaban mo, hindi ka matatakot (Why would I talk to you out of the country when there is a lot of space in the Philippines. If you really know what you are fighting for, you will not be afraid)," Esperon said, referring to the communist party.
He said they are currently working to convince the Dutch Government that CPP founding chair Jose Maria Sison needs to come home in order to put an end to the communist insurgency.
The NTF-ELCAC said it will organize a series of forums in the future to engage more people in the discussion of insurgency.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
