Communists not giving up arms in Duterte’s regime

From the often pro-Communist Party of the Philippines Davao Today (May 17): Communists not giving up arms in Duterte’s regime

Despite identifying themselves with president-elect Rodrigo Duterte on several issues, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said it they will not be laying down their arms in the time of his government.

“There will be no honeymoon with the Duterte regime,” the CPP said in a statement on Sunday, May 15.

CPP’s guerilla war against the state is the longest in Southeast Asia. During the campaign period, they described Duterte as the “most open” candidate for cooperation, but said they will intensify the people’s war.

The New People’s Army (NPA) “must continue to carry out the tasks set forth by the CPP Central Committee to intensify the people’s war by launching more frequent tactical offensives and seizing more arms from the enemy,” the party said.

NPA is the armed wing of the CPP.

Reds to continue opposing anti-people, pro-imperialist policies

It added that while they would engage Duterte in the peace negotiations, “the revolutionary forces will continue to relentlessly advance the people’s armed resistance and democratic mass struggles.”

“While open to cooperation and alliance, they must relentlessly criticize and oppose any and all anti-people and pro-imperialist policy and measure,” it said.

A day after the CPP released its statement, presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte offered cabinet posts to the CPP, including the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

While adamant on their plan to continue the armed struggle, the CPP has praised Duterte’s victory, describing it as a “resounding rejection” of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.

“Duterte strongly attacked the Aquino regime and presented himself as an anti-thesis of the oligarchic and cacique rule, keenly aware of the Filipino people’s profound hatred of the Aquino regime and its six years of corruption, mendacity, puppetry and wholesale failure to address the needs of the Filipino people,” it said.

In April, Duterte and CPP founder Jose Maria Sison agreed to a resumption of the stalled peace negotiations between the NDFP and the government.

Duterte has repeatedly claimed during his speeches that he will be the country’s first “Left president” and has classified himself as a socialist.

But the CPP warned of repercussions as it “will not sit well among the more rabid defenders of US military intervention, hegemonism and counter-insurgency dogma.”

Peace negotiations

Meanwhile, the CPP said among the first steps Duterte’s administration should carry out would be the release of all detained NDFP consultants, and the facilitation of their travel to a neutral territory for negotiations.

The CPP said both Duterte and Sison “can forge a plan for accelerated peace negotiations with the aim of forging comprehensive agreements addressing the substantive issues in a matter of a few months.”

The CPP clarified that they are open to consider proposals for a mutual ceasefire during the period of the peace negotiations, but that they expect Duterte to “recognize and uphold all standing agreements signed by the NDFP and the GRP over the past 20 years.”

These agreements would include The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 which has served as framework and anchor of the negotiations; the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG); the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) of 1998.

Duterte considering release of political prisoners
Duterte, in a press conference on Monday, May 16 said he may consider releasing all political prisoners “as part of confidence building.”

“I will call a truce and maybe consider releasing all political prisoners as part of confidence building,” he told the media.

Challenges under Duterte

Meanwhile, the CPP said Duterte can undo Pres. Aquino’s “puppetry to the US” by immediately notifying the US government of his intent to abrogate the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).  It also added that Duterte should end the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and the Status of Forces Agreement, as well as the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951.

“He can immediately send home US Ambassador Goldberg for interference in Philippine internal affairs and ask that the US government send a replacement,” the CPP said.

Arrest big fishes, Duterte told

The Central Committee of the CPP also challenged Duterte to prioritize the big criminals.

“The small-fry criminals will disappear without their big fish protectors and sharks up high in the bureaucracy and military and police organization,” it said.

The CPP also challenged him to carry out the arrest and prosecution of outgoing President Aquino and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

The CPP said the biggest drug lords and criminal syndicates continue to expand their operations under the protection of the top generals of the AFP and PNP.

“To address the widespread drug trade, Duterte will have to risk subjecting the top echelons of the military and police to a major shakedown to weed out, charge and punish the criminals. Street-level drug pushers and users must be rehabilitated through employment and by establishing centers for medical and psychological rehabilitation from drug abuse,”  it added.

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