Tightening the noose

The fate of Jose Ma. Sison, better known as Joma, is virtually in the hands of his pet peeve — Pres. Rodrigo R. Duterte. Both the United States and the European Union had declared the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army, (CPP/NPA) as terrorist organizations.

What actually saves Joma from landing in jail is that he packaged himself as a victim of Marcos persecution. He got his ticket to freedom courtesy of former Pres. Cory Aquino and since it is the same military and police forces that he would be dealing with, he opted to seek asylum in the Netherlands, a part of EU that looks at terrorism like a plague.

Joma appears to be consumed by his dream of a coalition government between the CPP-NPA-NDF and the Duterte government. Joma accuses Duterte of reneging on his promise of a coalition. But, as President Duterte stressed, how can he share the government which he does not own?

Contrary to Joma’s accusations, it is Duterte, in fact, who demonstrated sincerity in allowing the communists to participate in governance by appointing them to sensitive Cabinet positions. The President also went the extra mile to free incarcerated CPP/NPA leaders to participate in the peace talks. But in every round of talks, fresh demands were presented by the Reds while back home ambuscades, extortion, harassments and murders were taking place.

As City Mayor of Davao, Duterte did not hide his support for the legal political fronts of the Reds. He even visited NPA camps and engaged them in intimate talks. Never in the annals of our political history has a head of state built such degree of confidence with rebel groups.

For critics to say that President Duterte has incoherent policies when it comes to peace building is totally out of sync with his effort to bend over backwards to convince the rebels to return to the fold of the law.

Joma is wrong if he thinks his former student cannot run this country. Duterte has broken the back of crime and drug syndicates and is focused on curbing corruption in the bureaucracy. Next year, the country will embark on an unprecedented “Build, Build, Build” program that Joma never imagined what his student can do. He has stayed too long in the foreign land that he is hopelessly ignorant of what is going on in his native land.

The declaration of President Duterte to end peace talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF places Joma and his pals in a bind and makes their life miserable. If Joma continues badmouthing the President for the failed negotiation and if the NPA intensifies its attacks on government forces and civilians, it is not farfetched for Duterte to pin the terrorist tag on CPP/NPA/NDF. The EU will be forced to cut off not only Joma's communications line to the NPAs but also his living allowance. The noose is definitely tightening on Joma's neck.