Old methods of emergency response no longer apply. BY ICA FERNANDEZ & ABBEY PANGILINAN WITH DR. MIGUEL DOROTAN, NASTASSJA QUIJANO, PATRICIA MARIANO, ZAXX ABRAHAM, CLARA
“As advised by the NDFP Chief Political Consultant [Jose Maria Sison] and relayed by the NDFP Negotiating Panel to the NDFP National Council, the broad masses of the people themselves need to refrain from launching tactical offensives to gain more time and opportunity to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and to look after the health and over-all welfare of the people in both urban and rural areas,” the order reads.
“The NDFP and the broad masses of the people themselves need to refrain from launching tactical offensives to gain more time and opportunity to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and to look after the health and over-all welfare of the people in both urban and rural areas,” Sison said.
“Ceasefire or not, NPA Red fighters have already been directed to step up efforts to render social, economic, medical and public health services to the people. In particular, units of the NPA are working with local people’s health committees. Red fighters and the people are coordinating efforts to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 in their areas,” the underground party said in reaction to Duterte’s unilateral ceasefire announcement Wednesday, March 17.
Sinasabi ng gobyerno na manaliti lamang sa mga bahay ang taumbayan dahil sa banta ng COVID-19 sa bansa. Ngunit daing ng 107 pamilya sa Barangay 432 Zone 44 District 4 Sampaloc, Manila na paano sila papasok ng bahay kung wala naman silang bahay.
“As Founding Chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and Chief Political Consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, I honor Comrade Julius Soriano Giron with the Red salute and express the highest respect and commendation for his martyrdom and for his long record as a communist leader and revolutionary fighter in the Filipino people’s struggle for national liberation and democracy,” Sison said.
Sison said that while there is ongoing communication between the NDFP and Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) negotiating panels, there is yet no agreement for reciprocal unilateral ceasefires in regard to efforts in containing the corona virus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“The offer will be seriously studied by the NDFP and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It will be related not only to the common fight against Covid-19 but also to the resumption of the peace negotiations,” Sison said.
With three oral interventions one after the other last Friday, March 6, and another last Monday, March 2, the Ecumenical Voice for Human Rights and Peace in the Philippines (EcuVoice) strongly urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to pass another resolution in June to look into various reports of many rights violations by the Rodrigo Duterte government.
“But look at how the government acts so defensively at well-intentioned reports that it reacts so vociferously, violently even, to general recommendations that are not particularly directed at the Philippines. Such defensiveness often betrays guilt,” EcuVoice head Atty. Edre Olalia said.
