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Northeast Mindanao NPA declares ceasefire due to quake; 7th IDPA launches ‘focused military ops’ in CL and Ilocos

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THE North-Eastern Mindanao Regional Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Province of Surigao del Norte and some municipalities of Agusan del Norte following a 6.7 earthquake in the area last Friday.

In a statement, Ka Ariel Montero, spokesperson of the Regional Operational Command of the NPA, said the ceasefire are in areas covered by their Front 16 and is effective from February 11 to 11:55 in the evening of February 20. Read more

NPA to launch offensives vs GRP’s all-out war—Ka Oris

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THE National Operational Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) has announced all its units can now “take full initiative” as the 10-day grace period for the termination of its unilateral ceasefire declaration expired today.

“Starting today, the Unilateral Declaration of Interim Ceasefire is now completely terminated. All NPA commands and territorial units, as well as people’s militia and self defense units, can now take the full initiative to defend the people and advance their interests, especially in the face of the declaration of all-out war of the (Rodrigo) Duterte regime,” NPA spokesperson Jorge ‘Ka Oris’ Madlos in a statement said. Read more

Resume talks, not all-out war – peace advocates

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By Mikhaela Dimpas, UP College of Mass Communications

VARIOUS sectors and peace advocates mobilized in front of University of the Philippines’ Palma Hall to remind the Duterte Administration that an all-out war against the New People’s Army is an all-out war against the people.

“Hindi na sila natuto sa leksiyon ng kasaysayan mula pa kay Marcos, Aquino, at Erap,” Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Ysagani Zarate said.

“Ang all-out war ay napakalaking pagkabigo na pigilan ang rebelyon,” he said. Read more

Artists’ Creed for Peace

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Joma to Rody: Calm down, let’s talk

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NATIONAL Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant Jose Maria Sison asked Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) President Rodrigo Duterte to allow efforts to clear the air in the face of escalating tension between the two parties following the Duterte government’s declaration of an all-out war against the Left.

Sison proposed to his former student “to consult thoroughly with his negotiating panel and the peace advocates in his own cabinet and others outside of his government and encourage and allow back-channelling efforts to clarify misunderstandings and solve immediately the current problems.” Read more

CPP warns of massive rights violations due to GRP’s all-out war

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THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today warned of massive human and civil rights violations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as a result of the Rodrigo Duterte government’s declaration of an all-out war against the Left.

The communists said that the Duterte government’s record of more than 7,000 killings with its “Oplan Tokhang,” his constant threat to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and impose martial law-style rule to suppress political opposition pose real threats against the Filipino people.

“His record speaks for himself.  We must be ready to vigorously oppose any and all attempts to realize these threats,” the CPP said.

The underground party said the Duterte government is bound to set the “fascist dogs” in the AFP against activists and civilians, especially in areas where there are struggles for land reform and campaigns against foreign mining companies and plantations.

“In his desperate and vindictive attempt to score against the revolutionary movement, he has already targeted aboveground NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) consultants,” the CPP said.

Former activist killed

The CPP said the “Oplan Tokhang”-style killing of Glenn Ramos, 40, by military and police operatives in Barangay Ma-a, Davao City last Monday is an example of what the AFP would do.

The AFP and the PNP said they were serving a warrant for Ramos’ arrest as a suspected New People’s Army (NPA) member when a fire fight broke out after the victim allegedly refused to submit himself and instead drew a weapon.

Kodao sources however said Ramos was a civilian.  They said the raiding team used assault rifles in strafing his house.

Ramos died after sustaining two gunshot wounds.

“The entire AFP story is dubious and sounds like all the “nanlaban” (put up a fight) stories of the PNP of the past few months,” the CPP said.

Renato Olibang, Ramos’ construction boss, certifying he was a civilian at a time of his death by the hands of the PNP.

In Panay Island, a farmers’ organization complained of unwanted AFP presence and occupation of Barangay Boloc’s Hall in Tubungan, Iloilo.

Local farmers’ association Tubungan United Peasant Alliance (TUPA) said elements of the 82nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army asked for a barangay assembly last February 2 to get an approval for an encampment at the center of their community.  The soldiers were refused and were asked to leave instead.

Panay Alliance-Karapatan also reported that the community accused the military of indiscriminately firing at a farmer’s house last February 1.

Be prepared

The underground party urged members of “people’s organizations and democratic sectors” in both rural and urban areas to protest military presence (in civilian communities) and their abuses.

“They must tighten security measures and get ready to defend human and civil rights against state violence that is bound to escalate,” it warned.

The CPP said its armed wing, the NPA, will defend civilians against military abuses.

“The people’s army, the NPA, will be at the people’s side to punish the AFP’s fascist troops at every available opportunity,” it said.

The party also chided Duterte for believing his government can defeat the NPA, antagonizing all sectors supportive of the peace process, and increasingly isolating his government.

Duterte reversed on his previous positive pronouncements of the underground group and called them terrorists after AFP defeats last week.

“Defeating the NPA is a Duterte pipedream.  Other regimes before him have tried and failed. The NPA is ever ready to face his wild dogs in the AFP in battle,” the CPP said.

“Not for long, he will only have the AFP’s fascist dogs for company,” it added. (Raymund B. Villanueva/Featured photo by Southern Tagalog Exposure)

 

CPP assails Duterte’s termination of talks

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THE Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemned Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) President Rodrigo Duterte’s attempt to terminate formal peace talks between his administration and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

In a statement today, the CPP said Duterte has gone “berserk” in trying to upturn the entire peace process and waste the achievements attained in peace talks over the past few months. Read more

Malaybalay incident a ‘legitimate encounter’–NPA

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THE New People’s Army-North Central Mindanao Region (NPA-NCMR) belied accusations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that the soldiers killed in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon last February 1 were unarmed and were only deployed for “peace and development” duties.

In a rejoinder to their earlier pronouncements about the incident, NPA-NCMR spokesperson Ka Allan Juanito said Sgt. Owen Yee, Corporal Niño Christopher Talabor and Corporal Pat O. Non were engaged in psy-war (psychological warfare) operations and that their deaths was a result of a legitimate encounter. Read more

GRP terminates JASIG

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THE Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) formally served the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) notice of termination of their Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

In a letter dated today, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza also told NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison and NDFP Negotiating Panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili of the GRP’s “cancellation” of the peace talks.

“Following the President’s (Rodrigo Duterte) announcement of the cancellation of the peace talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/NDFP) and per his instructions, the Government (GRP) is hereby serving this notice of the termination of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG),” the letter said.

In a subsequent statement issued by his office, Dureza referred to Duterte’s earlier labelling of the Left as “terrorists.”

“The Government will continue its vigilance in the preservation of law and order and in protecting our people against insurgent activities and threats of terrorism,” Dureza’s statement said.

The NDFP has yet to respond to Dureza’s letter and statement.

Dureza, GRP Negotiating Panel chairperson Silvestre Bello III, Agcaoili and Sison were co-signatories of the 1995 agreement.

GRP’s JASIG termination letter.

30-day grace period

Signed on February 24, 1995 in Nieuwegein, The Netherlands, the JASIG came into effect after the respective approval by NDFP Chairperson Mariano Orosa on April 10, 1995 and GRP President Fidel Ramos on April 25, 1995.

The agreement was intended to protect negotiators, consultants, staffers, security and other personnel who participate in the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.

JASIG was also intended “to facilitate the peace negotiations, create a favorable atmosphere conducive to free discussion and free movement during the negotiations, and avert any incident that may jeopardize the peace process.”

“Without the JASIG, negotiations would not be possible.  Without the JASIG, persons involved in the negotiations would always feel or actually be under a cloud of threat and would be unable to perform their functions freely,” human rights group Karapatan said of the JASIG on its website.

The negotiations would always be at risk of being disrupted and totally jeopardized without the JASIG, Karapatan said.

The JASIG allows one party to terminate the agreement through a written notice given by one party to the other.

“In (such an) event, this Joint Agreement shall be deemed terminated 30 days after receipt of the notice of termination,” the agreement said.

According to JASIG, the termination shall take effect on March 9.

Repeatedly violated by the GRP

The NDFP has repeatedly accused the GRP of violating JASIG with the arrest of its peace consultants and personnel.

The GRP judiciary has released 19 NDFP peace consultants last August that enabled them to participate in the three formal rounds of talks in Norway and Italy.

Duterte has verbally ordered their rearrest, however, in an outburst last February 5 in Cagayan de Oro City.

The NDFP for its part said Duterte and the GRP executive branch has no jurisdiction over the released consultants but the respective trial courts where complaints are lodged against them.

Yesterday, combined GRP military and police elements arrested peace consultant Ariel Arbitrario in Davao City, bringing to four NDFP consultants under GRP custody even before Dureza’s notice and the JASIG’s termination on March 9. (Raymund B. Villanueva)