Thursday, December 26, 2019

Moro rights group calls for inquiry into Cotabato blast

From the often pro-Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) online publication the Davao Today (Dec 25, 2019): Moro rights group calls for inquiry into Cotabato blast



Suara Bangsamoro national spokesperson Amirah Lidasan condemn the recent bombing in Cotabato City and in town of Libungan in Cotabato province, and town of Upi in Maguindanao province last Dec. 22 that left at least 19 persons injured.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Moro human rights group Suara Bangsamoro called for an independent investigation on the recent bombings in Cotabato City and neighboring municipalities in Cotabato and Maguindanao that happened as the extended martial law is about to expire on December 31.
Suara Bangsamoro national spokesperson Amirah Lidasan, in a phone interview, strongly denounced the series of explosions on Sunday that left at least 19 persons injured.

READ: 19 hurt in series of blasts in Mindanao days before martial law expires

“We are (asking that) not another bomb explode especially (because) it’s currently…the holidays when families are together,” Lidasan said.

She also said she hoped that the recent bombings will not be used to justify another round of martial law declaration and/or call for the passage of stronger anti-terror measures.

Authorities are still investigating the separate incidents of blasts. But in previous interviews, the military raised the possibility that members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were behind the explosions.

Lidasan, however, said that the incidents should be investigated thoroughly first before the military assign responsibility to any group.

“These [bombings] happened not only recently. It has long been a call of different groups to investigate the bombings occurring in different areas in Mindanao, even following Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law,” Lidasan said.


She cited the New Year’s Eve blast in Cotabato City last December 31, 2018 and bombing in a catholic cathedral in Jolo, Sulu on January 27, 2019.

During the Arroyo administration in 2003, Lidasan recalled that human rights advocates also led a fact-finding mission to look deeper on the same “questionable” series of bombings in Mindanao.

She said that the investigation showed that security officials then had plans on pushing the government for stronger measures “in an objective to control” the security.


“That’s why we are calling now for an independent investigation to know who is behind it…(B)ecause we can see that it was done in a context of a political agenda, with not only the local government units but as well as the national government proposing for strict measures like the amendments to the Human Security Act or strengthening its Oplan Kapanatagan,” Lidasan said.

Duterte’s martial law declaration in 2017 was further extended in 2018 and until the end of this year, as the government said that other “terrorist groups” continue to pose threats to the security of Mindanao.

MalacaƱang announced earlier this month that Duterte will not be asking for another extension of martial law following the assessment of his security and defense advisers of the weakening of the “terrorist and extremist rebellion” in the island. (davaotoday.com)

http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/moro-rights-group-calls-for-inquiry-into-cotabato-blast/

Plan for drones to monitor Sabah waters still in discussion stage: Muhyiddin

From CNA (Dec 26, 2019): Plan for drones to monitor Sabah waters still in discussion stage: Muhyiddin

PUTRAJAYA: A proposal to use drones to beef up security along Sabah's waters is still in the discussion stage, Malaysia's Home Affairs Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has told Bernama.

Earlier this month, the minister said that the government was studying the possibility of using drones along Sabah's waters and border areas, in light of frequent abductions and cross-border crime.

The proposal is still in the discussion stage, said the minister, adding that he hopes the government will enable his ministry to conduct test runs, Bernama reported on Thursday (Dec 26).

The Eastern Sabah Security Command has strengthened security, but the sea borders along Sabah's waters are too long, and more efficient measures are needed, said the minister.

Launched in 2013, the Eastern Sabah Security Command was established to safeguard the security of the state's east coast, following intrusion by terrorists from southern Philippines.
READ: Philippine troops rescue two abducted Indonesians

The waters between the eastern state of Sabah and the southern Philippines have for years seen repeated kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf militant group.

Earlier this week, two Indonesian sailors who had been abducted by militants off Malaysian waters near the southern tip of Philippine island Mindanao were rescued by Philippine troops.

Indonesians Maharudin Lunani, 48, (second from right) and Samiun Maneu, 27, (right) posing for photographs in Jakarta on Dec 26, 2019. They were abducted by militants off Malaysian waters in September and were rescued by Philippine troops on Dec 22, 2019. With them are Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (second from left) and Indonesian ambassador to the Philippines Sinyo Harry Sarundajang. (Photo: Kiki Siregar)

SINGLE BORDER AGENCY

The proposal for a new border agency to oversee security along national borders is also in the works.

At present, the task of managing Malaysia's national borders is handled by around 28 bodies, associations and companies, contributing to congestion and delay in managing border-related mattes, said Muhyiddin.

The government has accepted the proposal for a single body responsible for the country's gateways, he said.

“If possible, we want all matters relating to the setting up of the border agency to be settled and finalised within the next two years," he said. “The matter has been discussed with the Home Ministry’s secretary-general and I will push to speed up its establishment."  
Source: Bernama/nc

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-drones-security-sabah-waters-border-12213208

Indonesia, Philippines join hands to free sailor kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf terror group

From the Straits Times (Dec 26, 2019): Indonesia, Philippines join hands to free sailor kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf terror group


Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (above) said Philippine Defence Minister Delfin Lore
nzana has promised to work hard to set the hostage free. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

JAKARTA (XINHUA) - The Indonesian and Philippine governments are working together to secure the release of an Indonesian national being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Philippines.

Mr Muhammad Farhan, 27, and two fellow sailors were kidnapped by the group in September in the waters off Sabah in Malaysia, but the other two were freed recently.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday (Dec 26) said Philippine Defence Minister Delfin Lorenzana has promised to work hard to set the hostage free.


"I have communicated with the Philippine Defence Minister over the effort to free one hostage. We asked for a rescue effort to immediately free the hostage alive, and the Philippine Defence Minister said that he will work hard for the rescue mission," said Ms Retno.

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto will meet his Philippine counterpart to discuss the mission, said Ms Retno, according to local media.

The kidnap of the three Indonesian nationals by the Abu Sayyaf group came to light when a hostage video was released some weeks ago, with one of the hostages stating that the abductors were demanding a ransom of 8 billion rupiah (S$777,317), according to the Foreign Ministry.

The three Indonesians worked for a fishing firm in Malaysia.

Get exclusive insights of Asia from our network of correspondents

The abduction of the three persons took the number of Indonesian nationals kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf group to 36 since 2016. Most of them were freed, according to the ministry.

The latest kidnapping occurred despite a trilateral agreement between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines for joint patrols in the waters located at the borders of the countries.

Related Story
Philippine security forces find nine 'sea gypsies' kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf off Sabah

The Abu Sayyaf group is notorious for kidnapping, bombing and beheading incidents in western Mindanao of the Philippines.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-philippines-join-hands-to-free-abductee-of-abu-sayyaf

Two Indonesians held hostage by Abu Sayyaf return home

From Antara (Dec 26, 2019): Two Indonesians held hostage by Abu Sayyaf return home



Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (left) with Maharudin (middle), one of the ex-hostages of Abu Sayyaf Group who reunites with his wife (right) in Jakarta, Thursday, December 26, 2019. (ANTARA FOTO/Aditya Pradana Putra/Sw)

We are officially ensuring that Mr Maharudin and Mr Samiun get together with their families after 90 days where they were doubtful about their future and felt anxious of being detainees in the PhilippinesJakarta (ANTARA) - The two Indonesians who were held hostage by militant group Abu Sayyaf in southern Philippines, are returning home to their families at a handover ceremony by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, Thursday. Maharudin (48) and Samiun (27) were rescued on December 22, 2019, in a military operation undertaken by the Philippines Army, which resulted in one soldier being killed.

“We are officially ensuring that Mr Maharudin and Mr Samiun get together with their families after 90 days where they were doubtful about their future and felt anxious of being detainees in the Philippines,” Retno Marsudi, Foreign Affairs Minister, stated.

The families were also anxious for these last two months, while they waited for the hostages to return safely, Retno added.

“This release could only happen through the remarkable cooperation of Indonesia’s inter-authorities as well as between the two countries, Indonesia and the Philippines,” she noted.

Earlier, at a high-level negotiation, Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized the handling of the hostage crisis during a meeting with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in Busan, South Korea.

“At that time, President Duterte conveyed his immediate commitment to solving this case with all the powers at his disposal,” Retno said.

On the occasion, Retno also held talks with the Philippines Minister of Defense about the case.

The last two negotiations led to some follow-up action by each government, including the intensive communication between the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Western Mindanao Command.

Maharudin and Samiun are Baubau residents of Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, who worked as migrant workers of a Malaysian fishing vessel’s crew, along with another worker, Muhammad Farhan —Maharudin’s son.

The three were captured at Tambisan Sea, Lahad Datu in Sabah, Malaysia, and later transferred to Sulu Sea, according to the Foreign Ministry's director for citizen protection, Judha Nugraha.

While Maharudin and Samiun were rescued, Muhammad Farhan is still being detained

“We are making maximum efforts to ensure the release of the hostage,” Retno assured.

Related news: Indonesia, neighbors work closely to release abducted citizens

Related news: Indonesian held hostage in South Philippines set free

Related news: Govt secures release of two Indonesians held by Abu Sayyaf

https://en.antaranews.com/news/138747/two-indonesians-held-hostage-by-abu-sayyaf-return-home

CPP 51st anniv: Nothing to celebrate, says AFP; Invincible, Joma counters

From GMA News Online (Dec 26, 2019): CPP 51st anniv: Nothing to celebrate, says AFP; Invincible, Joma counters (By AMITA LEGASPI)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said Thursday there is nothing to celebrate about the Communist Party of the Philippines’ 51st founding anniversary as the latter, together with the New People’s Army and National Democratic Front, have been rejected by most of the Filipinos in the countryside.

“There is nothing to celebrate in 51 years of duplicity! The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has been fooling many of our people for more than half a century now,” military spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said in a statement.

Arevalo said the CPP has destroyed the future of the children, ruined the fibers of Filipino family values, prevented economic growth, and divided the nation.

“The CPP that Mr. Jose Ma. Sison founded has lost relevance in a world that has rejected communism. It has become insignificant in a nation governed by strong political will to end insurgency that is bereft of any ideology,” he said.

He added that the people have awakened and now support the National Task Force Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCA) “anchored on good governance that the AFP helps foster.”

“It will not be long until the CPP dies a natural death,” he added.

‘Growing strength’

On the other hand, Sison congratulated the CPP for the growing strength and responding to the demands of the people for revolutionary change.

“The CPP and revolutionary mass movement are invincible. They have been tempered by more than 50 years of revolutionary struggle against the ruling system… They keep on growing because the objective conditions for waging armed revolution are increasingly favorable and the broad masses of the people demand revolutionary change,” Sison said in a Facebook post.

He added that the Duterte administration is now going downhill “and cannot find enough relief from its imperialist masters to overcome the rising revolutionary movement of the Filipino people.”

“Despite being able to retain overall dominance over the Philippines, the US is increasingly looking at Duterte as more of a liability than an asset as he fails to fulfill his pledge to destroy the revolutionary movement and as he allows China to gain advantages that prejudice the economic and security interests of the US in the Philippines,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News

Bohol groups slam CPP-NPA for ‘anti-people acts’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Dec 26, 2019): Bohol groups slam CPP-NPA for ‘anti-people acts’ (By Leo Udtohan)



A peace rally was held on Thursday, December 26 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol as the CPP-NPA celebrates its 51st founding anniversary today.
TAGBILARAN CITY — Several groups gathered on Thursday here to condemn the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

The peace rally was held at the capital city of Tagbilaran to condemn the “anti-people activities” of the CPP-NPA, as it celebrates its 51st founding anniversary today, Dec. 26.

“It has been 51 years of senseless killings. The Philippine National Police wants peace and development for Bohol. We don’t want the gains of progress and development of Bohol be wasted,” said Police Colonel Jonathan Cabal, director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO).

BPPO said the number of participants in the event was around 600.

A peace walk was held with participants from the Muslim communities, BPPO personnel, Philippine Army, and members of force multipliers composed of Bantay Bayan, barangay tanod and barangay officials walked at least 2.5 km from the New Provincial Capitol to Tagbilaran City Square bringing placards and streamers condemning the CPP-NPA.

During the program, three former rebels shared their “bitter” experiences with the CPP-NPA. They said the “cause is fake” and “palpak” (failure).

After the short program, Sovereign Grace Band and the all-police Tarsius Band rendered songs.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1206111/bohol-groups-slam-cpp-npa-for-anti-people-acts

Calabarzon PNP leads ‘peace parade’ on CPP anniversary

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Dec 26, 2019): Calabarzon PNP leads ‘peace parade’ on CPP anniversary (By Mar S. Arguelles, Maricar Cinco)



Anti-communism. Civilian volunteers joined a PNP-led rally against insurgency on the 51st anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Contributed by CALABARZON PNP

SAN PEDRO CITY — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday led a parade of at least 2,000 people in support of the administration’s policy to end the communist insurgency.

The activity, dubbed as a “Walk for Lasting Peace,” coincided with the 51st anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

It was the first time for such kind of event, simultaneously held across Calabarzon and was meant to create some semblance of a mass civilian support to the anti-communist propaganda.

The participants, who wore white shirts, carried streamers with messages supporting President Duterte’s Executive Order 70 that took a “whole-of-nation” approach against armed conflict since last year.

In a phone interview, regional police chief spokesperson Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran said most of those who joined were members of the PNP-Highway Patrol Group’s civilian multipliers and of civic groups, like Hands Off Our Children.

Hands Off Our Children campaigns against the alleged recruitment of university students to the the New People’s Army, the CPP’s armed wing.



Contributed by CALABARZON PNP

The main parade started at the monument of national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal in Calamba City, Laguna and ended with a program at the city’s crossing, ironically, where militant protest actions were also commonly held.

An alias “Marco,” who claimed to be a former rebel and concealed his face by wearing a bull cap, gave a testimony on stage.

“The NPA claims to be pro-masses but why would they eat in civilian houses or burn construction equipment of companies that refused to pay (revolutionary) taxes,” he said in Filipino.

Another woman also spoke to the audience about how her son was recruited by the NPA.

Gaoiran said the PNP in Calabarzon would abide by the president’s order to suspend offensive operations against the NPA for the holiday truce.

She said they have yet to monitor any threat of an attack by the group.

A similar rally was also held and attended by hundreds in Legazpi City, Albay also on Thursday morning.

The so-called indignation rally against the CPP-NPA-NDF was held at the Albay PeƱaranda Park.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1206089/calabarzon-pnp-leads-peace-parade-on-cpp-anniversary

Communist rebels may abruptly end ceasefire – Joma Sison

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Dec 26, 2019): Communist rebels may abruptly end ceasefire – Joma Sison (By: Delfin T. Mallari Jr.)

 If the government won’t immediately present its written ceasefire orders to state-security forces, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) may pull out its stand-down order to New People’s Army guerrillas, top rebel leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said Thursday.

“I think the NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) is ready any time to recommend to the CPP the withdrawal of its ceasefire order to the NPA if the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) fails to show to the NDFP, the press and the public the official copies of the SOMO (suspension of military operation) and SOPO (suspension of police operation),” Sison, CPP founder, revealed to the Inquirer in a Facebook interview from his base in Utrecht in The Netherlands.

However, Sison said the CPP-NPA-NDFP are not imposing a deadline to the government presentation of its ceasefire order to the military and police.

He did not elaborate.

Sison said they have been demanding for the copies of the SOMO and SOPO through Labor Secretary and government peace negotiator Silvestre Bello III.

On Monday, a soldier was killed and six others were wounded when NPA guerrillas ambushed the Army soldiers in Labo, Camarines Norte.

Half an hour later, Red fighters also ambushed policemen in Tubungan, Iloilo. The policemen escaped but two of them were wounded.

The respective NPA units in Camarines Norte and Iloilo denied initiating the attacks and claimed that they only acted in self-defense against the continuous operations by the government forces.

Sison, NDFP chief political consultant, retorted: “It seems that Duterte cannot control all the military and police officers under him or in the first place he has been faking interest in ceasefire and resumption of peace talks in order to unleash a brutal campaign against the people and the revolutionary forces.”

Sison accused President Duterte of having “no real and sincere interest in ceasefire and resumption of peace negotiations.”

“I think that the people and the revolutionary forces are ready to intensify the people’s war for national and social liberation,” Sison vowed.

On Sunday, President Duterte approved the recommendation of the government peace panel and the NDFP for a nationwide ceasefire over the holidays.

The President subsequently instructed the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, “to issue an official declaration therefore and communicate the directive for a national armistice with the CPP-NPA-NDF to their respective agents and armed units for due observance during the period.”

The supposed truce began at 12:01 a.m. Monday and would end at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 7.

Sison maintained that the issuance of the SOMO and SOPO “is crucially important” for the NDFP, CPP and NPA to have the documents.

“Because the ceasefire order of the Central Committee of the CPP to the NPA becomes effective only upon the issuance of these SOMO and SOPO,” he argued.

PNP to repel possible attack amid truce; rallies held vs. NPA

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 26, 2019): PNP to repel possible attack amid truce; rallies held vs. NPA (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)



Members of the Philippine National Police. (File photo)

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it will continue to repel any possible attempt by the New People's Army (NPA) rebel group, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), to sow violence during the holidays, even as President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a holiday ceasefire with the Reds.

This, as civil society groups held simultaneous anti-communist public indignation rallies in separate locations nationwide on the same day that the CPP is celebrating its 51st anniversary.

PNP Director for Operations, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Licup, in an interview, said he told policemen to not let the communist insurgents attack them without fighting back.

He also advised the PNP's 200 Highway Patrol Groups (HPG) to never back down in case of attacks from the Reds.

Licup said despite the declaration of a ceasefire, policemen should continue to protect themselves against NPA atrocities.

Meanwhile, the indignation rallies ended peacefully with no untoward incidents reported to PNP units providing area security for the events.

The rallies were held in 74 separate locations across the country, from Northern Luzon to Southern Mindanao including five locations in Metro Manila.

Organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), these events were attended by families of victims of CPP-NPA hostilities, youth and student sector representatives, local government units, and religious and indigenous people, to express condemnation over the anti-people terrorist activities of the NPA.

More prominent among participants were aggrieved parents (Hands-off Our Children Group) and members of the League of Filipino Parents in the Philippines, who took turns to condemn the CPP-NPA’s propaganda to arouse, organize, and mobilize marginalized sectors in the countryside and infiltration state universities and colleges and public schools purposely to advance their cause and create chaos in the community.

Despite the declaration of a holiday truce by both President Rodrigo Duterte and the communist group, the NPA carried out attacks on government troops in Quezon, Iloilo and Bicol earlier this week.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1089520

NDF/Sison: Duterte regime goes downhill as revolutionary movement rises

Jose Maria Sison propaganda statement posted to the National Democratic Front Philippines (NDFP or NDF) Website (Dec 26, 2019): Duterte regime goes downhill as revolutionary movement rises

By Jose Maria Sison
Founding Chairman, Communist Party of the Philippines

In keeping with my historic title as Founding Chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) guided by Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, I convey my warmest revolutionary greetings to the cadres and members for continuing to strengthen their great and glorious party as the advanced detachment of the working class and as leader of the Filipino people and all revolutionary forces in the struggle for national and social liberation along the general line of new democratic revolution with a socialist perspective.

I salute you for your achievements in responding to the demands of the people for revolutionary change against the rotten semicolonial and semifeudal system dominated by foreign monopoly capitalism, domestic feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism. Like you, I honor most highly all the revolutionary martyrs and heroes of the CPP and the revolutionary mass movement for all their efforts and sacrifices in order to realize the accumulated and current victories in the struggle for national independence and democracy.

This is a time for you to celebrate your struggles, sacrifices and successes, to examine the objective conditions in the Philippines, the worsening crisis and the opportunities it presents, sum up your experiences and learn from positive and negative lessons, base yourselves on the strength that you have achieved and set forth the tasks and goals that you wish to realize in the ideological, political and organizational fields.

Worsening Crisis of the Ruling System

The objective conditions are exceedingly favorable for advancing the people’s democratic revolution because the traitorous, tyrannical, murderous, corrupt and deceptive Duterte regime has aggravated the chronic crisis of the ruling system by escalating the oppression and exploitation of the people and driving them to wage people’s war and all forms of resistance.

More than ever the regime has worsened the conditions of underdevelopment, high unemployment, low incomes, soaring prices of basic commodities and mass poverty. It has further bankrupted the economy by shunning land reform and national industrialization, increasing import-dependent consumption and rapidly making the local and foreign debt burden and tax burden of the people intolerably heavier.

Worst of all, colossal amounts of public funds are wasted on bureaucratic and military corruption and on futile schemes to destroy the revolutionary movement and impose a fascist dictatorship on the people. It is apt to describe the regime of state terrorism and unbridled greed as unwittingly the best recruiter of CPP members, Red fighters and other revolutionaries. It is also the best transport and supply officer of the New People’s Army for sending its troops for annihilation on terrain advantageous to guerrilla warfare.

Since he became president in 2016, Duterte has been obsessed with seeking to destroy the revolutionary movement in order to please US imperialism and the local reactionary classes. At first, he claimed to be “Left” and “socialist” and pretended to be for peace negotiations. But he used these pretenses only to cover up his all-out war against the people and the revolutionary forces in the countryside and further launch in the name of rabid anti-communism the series of repressive measures, especiallyProclamations Nos. 360 and 374 to Executive Order No. 70.

The regime has used the most brutal and deceptive methods to impose a de facto fascist dictatorship on the entire nation and undisguised martial rule in Mindanao and in so-called focus areas of attacks. Deviously named the whole-nation approach, the scheme to militarize and make fascist the entire government and society is totally and extremely counterproductive and costly. The broad masses of the people detest the systematic and gross violations of human rights through red tagging, fake surrenders, fake encounters, extrajudicial killings, looting, arson, bombing of communities and grabbing of land and resources for plantations, mining and logging.

All efforts of the Duterte regime to destroy the CPP and the revolutionary mass movement have failed. Thus, out of desperation, he offered once more peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines on December 5. Within 24 hours, he and his military and police officers exposed their own evil intentions by demanding that the peace negotiations be held in the Philippines and that the NDFP negotiating personnel put themselves under enemy duress, control and surveillance and make themselves available for slaughter at any time.

Nonetheless,, the people’s demand for a just peace, the clamor of peace advocates for for peace negotiations and the willingness of the anti-militarist section of the Duterte regime support the consistent stand of the CPP and the NDFP to be open to peace negotiations and to seek all possible ways to counter the rampant violations of human rights and to propagate the people’s demand for basic social, economic and political reforms. Thus, the NDFP has agreed with the GRP to engage in reciprocal unilateral ceasefires from December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020 in order to foster the environment favorable to the resumption of peace negotiations.

The resumption of the peace negotiations can be realized by reaffirming the mutual agreements since the Hague Joint Declaration of 1992, by superceding the presidential issuances that previously terminated and prevented peace negotiations and by laying the ground for the Interim Peace Agreement, which is a package of agreements involving the 1) general amnesty and release of all political prisoners; 2) the approval of articles of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER), particularly those on agrarian reform and rural development and national industrialization and economic development; and 3) coordinated unilateral ceasefires.

Notwithstanding the current ceasefire agreement and the probability of resuming the peace negotiations, the CPP and the entire revolutionary movement need to be vigilant and militant against the continuing scheme of the counter-revolutionaries and their imperialist masters whoseek in vain either the destruction or capitulation of the revolutionary forces at the expense of the national and democratic rights and interests of the Filipino people. So long as there is yet no final agreement that ensures a just peace, the people and their revolutionary forces have all the right to wage revolutionary struggle.

The Growing Strength of the Revolutionary Movement

The CPP and revolutionary mass movement are invincible. They have been tempered by more than 50 years of revolutionary struggle against the ruling system and all the strategic plans devised by US imperialism and their Filipino puppets to destroy them. They keep on growing because the objective conditions for waging armed revolution are increasingly favorable and the broad masses of the people demand revolutionary change. On the basis of the CPP publications, I am well aware that the CPP is resolutely and vigorously building itself ideologically, politically and organizationally.

It continuously educates and trains the new recruits and its accumulated membership of tens of thousands in the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. As the leader of the revolutionary movement, it carries out the people’s democratic revolution by skilfully strengthening itself, waging armed struggle and availing of the united front. It conducts mass work and builds the mass organizations of various exploited classes, strata and sectors of Philippine society. It keeps on creating new units of the people’s army and the auxiliary forces of the people’s militia and the self-defense units in mass organizations.

It engages in alliance work by relying mainly on the basic toiling masses of workers and peasants, winning over the middle forces and taking advantage of the splits among the reactionaries in order to isolate and destroy the power of the enemy. At the moment, the Duterte regime is encircled by the legal democratic movement, the revolutionary movement and by the intrasystemic conservative opposition. As the reactionary government is corrupt, bankrupt and decadent, the CPP creates the organs of democratic political power to displace the power of the reactionary state in the countryside until conditions are ripe for the seizure of the cities dominated by the exploiting classes.

In the course of its ideological, political and organizational work, the CPP engages in criticism and self-criticism in order to correct errors and shortcomings in a timely and period manner, to improve work and style of work and achieve bigger and better results. In the course of the current rectification movement and for an extended period, it is solving the problem of conservatism which has overemphasized mass work at the expense of launching tactical offensives in certain areas and which has been characterized by overdispersal of full-time small units (squads and teams) of the people’s army.

The CPP is ensuring that in a guerrilla front the command platoon or main unit of a company is relatively concentrated and capable of collecting actionable information, planning and carrying out tactical offensives; and two other platoons or secondary units are relatively dispersed for mass work but prepared for tactical offensives whenever necessary. The NPA personnel are rotated periodically for combat and other non-combat tasks in order to develop their skills in a well-rounded way. In the face of enemy onslaughts, NPA combat units are oriented to seize the initiative and wage offensive operations to annihilate enemy units, destroy their facilities and force them to guard duty.

In the finest communist and patriotic tradition, the stronger regions of the revolutionary movement are sharing competent and battle-tested cadres and Red commanders and fighters to help strengthen weaker regions and raise higherthe overall fighting capacity of the entire revolutionary movement. The revolutionary forces under concentrated attacks by their enemy are faring well with the employment of major and minor tactics of guerrilla warfare and are developing the strategy and tactics of counter-encirclement. Those forces under relatively less concentrated enemy attacks are doing their best to launch tactical offensives by way of helping those under more concentrated attacks.

In response to the expectations of the Filipino people, the CPP is determined to lead the NPA in bringing about the full development of the strategic defensive of the people’s war, from the middle phase to the advanced phase, through extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare. The regional leading organs of the CPP are developing the coordination and interoperability of two or three neighboring guerrilla fronts for the purpose of defense and offense. The entire CPP is ever determined to create new guerrilla fronts by winning battles and campaigns in the direction of developing more NPA companies and reaching eventually the stage of the strategic stalemate.

The worsening crisis of the ruling system and the people’s hatred of the Duterte reign of terror and greed make it impossible for the coercive and deceptive instruments of the state to know and suppress all the revolutionary forces and their activities. The evil agents of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism are weighed down by their own brutality and corruption. The more violent and intimidating they become the more they goad the people to wage all forms of resistance.

The Duterte regime is going downhill to hell and cannot find enough relief from its imperialist masters to overcome the rising revolutionary movement of the Filipino people. Despite being able to retain overall dominance over the Philippines, the US is increasingly looking at Duterte as more of a liability than an asset as he fails to fulfill his pledge to destroy the revolutionary movement and as he allows China to gain advantages that prejudice the economic and security interests of the US in the Philippines.

At the same time, while pressuring the Duterte regime to do a more flagrant surrender of Philippine sovereign rights, China has not promptly complied with its promises to deliver extremely onerous loans and overpriced infrastructure projects, despite the already treasonous waiver of Philippine sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea and the rich oil, gas and marine resources under it as well as the lopsided agreement for China to explore and exploit energy resources and monopolize the valuation of the costs and the information on production.

Worsening Crisis of the World Capitalist System

The world capitalist system is in grave crisis. The major capitalist economies, the so-called emerging markets and the many underdeveloped economies have become depressed since the economic and financial crash of 2008. The strategic decline of the US has accelerated because of the costly ceaseless wars of aggression and the bankruptcy of the neoliberal economic policy. The US has become blatantly protectionist and blames China’s state monopoly capitalism for enjoying large export surpluses in trade with the US and using state-owned enterprises and state planning to be able totake advantage of the economic, trade and technological concessions from the US in achieving strategic economic and security goals.

The main partners in neoliberal globalization for several decades are now at odds with each other. Their conflicts are the main feature of the intensifying inter-imperialist contradictions. They arise at a time that the US is made desperate by its own strategic decline but is still in a position to expose China’s sitting on a mountain of bad debts and to upset and sabotage China’s accumulation of surplus capital for imperialist deployment through the Belt and Road Initiative. We can expect more conflicts to come from the two imperialist powers over the Philippines, the South China Sea, East Asia and in other regions of the world.

The rapidly worsening crisis of the world capitalist system is causing the intensification of inter-imperialist contradictions. The traditional imperialist powers headed by the US and the new imperialist powers headed by China and Russia are now locked in a bitter struggle for a redivision of the world. At the same time, the crisis has resulted in the escalation of the exploitation and oppression of the proletariat people both in the advanced capitalist countries and underdeveloped countries. Thus, we see today the unprecedented spread and intensity of mass protests on a global scale, especially against neoliberalism and fascism. The current mass protests are harbingers of greater struggles of the people of the world for national liberation, democracy and socialism against imperialism and all reactions.

Quite a number of the unarmed mass movements have the potential of being transformed into people’s war to address the central question of political power in the face of the growing propensity of the imperialists and reactionaries to use fascist terror to be able continue the extreme forms of exploitation under neoliberalism. The Philippine revolution is favored by the worldwide rise of popular resistance against imperialism and reaction. Consequently, it can accelerate its advance and further strengthen its role as torch-bearer of the world anti-imperialist and proletarian-socialist revolution.

Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Long live the people’s democratic revolution with socialist perspective!
Long live the Filipino proletariat and people!
Long live the proletariat and peoples of the world!
Long live proletarian internationalism and anti-imperialist solidarity of peoples!

https://ndfp.org/duterte-regime-goes-downhill-as-revolutionary-movement-rises/

NDF/NDF-SMR: On Sara Duterte’s anti-peace rhetoric

NDF-SMR propaganda statement posted to the National Democratic Front Philippines (NDFP or NDF) Website (Dec 25, 2019): On Sara Duterte’s anti-peace rhetoric

National Democratic Front of the Philippines
Southern Mindanao Region

25 December 2019

Revolutionary forces in Southern Mindanao slam the recent pronouncement of GRP Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to exclude Davao City from the GRP’s ceasefire declaration and the peace negotiations with the NDFP. In parroting the militarist line of peace spoilers and extreme rightists of the ruling class of declaring the revolutionary movement as terrorists unfit to be faced in the negotiation table, she displays a bent to rule with impunity, to subjugate the people’s will under the auspices of the fascist AFP and their imperialist masters by negating peace negotiations.

GRP Mayor Sara wrongly blames the alleged failure of the GRP-NDFP talks to the “countless criminal acts and treachery” of the revolutionary forces, specifically the NPA. Yet, it had been the AFP’s fascist forays into hinterland areas that violated GRP’s ceasefire declarations which forced NPA units to engage in self-defense.

She is more concerned with cheerleading the militarization of Davao City by supporting the brutal operations and psywar tactics of the 16th Infantry Battalion, the 89th IB and the 3rd IB of the Philippine Army, the AFP’s intelligence operations, Task Force Davao and police forces. This cabal is responsible for the countless extra-judicial killings, drug-related executions, disappearances and forced evacuations of farmers and Lumad under martial law. Her diatribe against talking with revolutionary forces shows her wayward intolerance to human rights and justice. She’s in fact happier to gag activists, kowtow to Chinese imperialist economic aggression, close Lumad schools and pamper the AFP.

In her bid to remove Davao City from the GRP’s framework of peace talks and ceasefire, GRP Mayor Sara attempts to make her local government immune to scrutiny from the mounting backlash among displaced drivers, aggrieved urban poor whose residences have been demolished and dislocated farmers and workers as a result of her accommodation of big ticket infrastructure, road and other projects funded by imperialist blood money.

GRP Mayor Sara harps on about the supposed “gains” of Peace 911, Davao City’s so-called local initiative, that engages the masses under duress in “peace dialogues” but at the behest and under the guns of hundreds of fascist AFP soldiers. Under the gloss of spurious programs such as the “Peace Economy,” these “gains” merely deodorize the horrid stories of harassments, psywar, forced and fake surrenders of civilians as NPA members and forced recruitment to CAFGU, Alamara and Bagani paramilitary forces. She seems to also be blissfully unaware of the fact that the 3 battalions she is coddling in Davao City are pocketing millions of public funds supposedly for salaries of CAFGU members or remuneration for mass fake surrenders.

Revolutionary forces in the Southern Mindanao are one with the national leadership in supporting the resumption of the peace negotiations, as all NPA units around the region are committed to observing the CPP’s ceasefire order, a mark of an army that genuinely espouses peace and the people’s interests. Meanwhile, reports from the ground confirm that AFP troops continue to conduct combat operations despite their own ceasefire declaration.

While most politicians from the reactionary bureaucracy express support for the resumption of the formal negotiations, GRP Mayor Sara chooses to spew out a palpably contradictory opinion to the GRP president’s recent policy statement with regards to peace. One that clearly displays her charmed ruling class origin, bereft of the troubles of the working class, and enjoying the benefits of the semi-feudal and semi-colonial Philippine society.

RUBI DEL MUNDO
Spokesperson
NDFP-SMR

https://ndfp.org/on-sara-dutertes-anti-peace-rhetoric/

NDF/Sison: Trip to Manila before CASER is premature but one-on-one in a country near the Philippines is possible

Jose Maria Sison propaganda statement posted to the National Democratic Front Philippines (NDFP or NDF) Website (Dec 26, 2019): Trip to Manila before CASER is premature but one-on-one in a country near the Philippines is possible



By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant

December 26, 2019

I thank President Duterte for the offer to meet him one-on-one. But it is premature for me to go to the Philippines before the mutual approval of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms. Let the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels work this out first in a neutral venue abroad for the benefit of the people, especially with regard to genuine land reform and national industrialization.
Inquirer.net

Nevertheless, I am willing to meet with President Duterte in a country near the Philippines after the formal resumption of the peace negotiations and the mutual approval of the Interim Peace Agreement, provided the Royal Norwegian Government as third party facilitator helps in securing the necessary political, legal and security guarantees from a number of pertinent countries.

I would be putting the prospect of peace negotiations at risk if I make myself available for any kind of attack by officers of the AFP and PNP who think that they can end the revolutionary movement by getting rid of me and who are increasingly disobedient to President Duterte and continue to make offensive movements despite the current ceasefire ordered by the CPP to the NPA.

The current basic problems of the Filipino people are imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism. I will work with anyone who notices these three elephants in the room and agrees with me that these problems must be solved in order to achieve full national independence, democracy and social justice which are the guiding principles of the peace negotiations as set forth by The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992.

https://ndfp.org/trip-to-manila-before-caser-is-premature-but-one-on-one-in-a-country-near-the-philippines-is-possible/

306 former CTG members and supporters, surrender in Masbate

Posted to Kalinaw News (Dec 26, 2019): 306 former CTG members and supporters, surrender in Masbate (By TEAM SPEAR)



CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur-At the height of the CPP’s 51st Founding Anniversary, at least three hundred NPA, Militia ng Bayan (MB) members, Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) officers and members and supporters surrendered in Masbate province this Thursday, December 26.

A total of 306 mass surrenderers composed of 47 regular NPA members, 150 Milisyang Bayan (MB) members, 51 Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad (SPL) officers and members and 58 supporters turned themselves in to the uniformed units of the government.

The group also surrendered forty-nine (49) different firearms which includes: six (6) M16 rifles, one (1) carbine, two (2) KG9 sub-machine guns, one (1) ingram pistol, one (1) homemade garand, ten (10) homemade shotguns, one (1) shotgun, one (1) cal 380, fourteen (14) cal 38 pistols, nine (9) cal 357 pistols, three (3) cal .45 pistols and three improvised explosive devices (IEDs).


LTC NAPOLEON PABON, Commanding Officer of 2nd Infantry Battalion (2IB) in his statement said, “We have a continuing responsibility for the MasbateƱo former rebel and it shall commence after they have laid their arms and return to the fold of our legitimate government. We need to insure that all benefits and necessary remunerations especially housing and kabuhayan packages be provided them by concerned agencies in constant collaboration with the local government of the province.”

“The recent mass surrender of the members of Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) manifests that the government’s effort to offer peace is on the right track and that the influence of this communist group is weakening. Finally, the people are realizing that the 5-decade of violence is senseless,” COL NOE ALBERTO PEƑAFIEL, Brigade Commander of 903rd Infantry Brigade underscored.

Meanwhile, MGEN FERNANDO T TRINIDAD AFP reiterated that the armed struggle being pushed by the CPP and their treacherous acts just like the recent ambush in Labo, Camarines Norte which killed one military personnel and wounded six others will never solve the society’s underlying problems.

Furthermore, he encouraged the communist terrorists to follow the footsteps of their former comrades who decided to return to the folds of the law and live peacefully with their families.

He also added that the government is more than ready to welcome and help them reestablish their lives through the different programs of Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict 5 (RTF-ELCAC5) as part of the government’s intensified implementation of Executive Order No. 70 (EO) or the Whole-of-Nation Approach.

On the other hand, a nationwide indignation rally was also staged today condemning the violence and illegal activities being spread by the CPP that impedes the government’s effort for sustainable peace and development. In Bicol region same activity was launched in Naga City, Legazpi City, Sorsogon City, Masbate City and in Daet, Camarines Norte.

In Naga City, the Philippine National Police, 9th Infantry Division (9ID), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), other force multipliers, local officials, and peace-loving NagueƱos gathered at the Plaza Quince Martires to support the activity while other areas in Bicol also held the same event to denounce all forms of violence, terrorism and atrocities hurled by the CTG.

The demonstrators carried with them placards stating their call to end the insurgency and unite for a lasting peace.

Ka Jerry, a former rebel spoke in front of the crowd and shared his disappointment with the communist terrorists.

“…nagugutom, ulan, init at nagkakaroon po kami ng sakit at ‘yon pong mga kasamahan ko pong nagkakasakit at hindi na nila kinakaya ay iniiwanan na lang kung saan-saan,” he added.

He said, they joined the communist group because of a promise of good life which never happened.

Instead, the government troops especially the military whom they considered as enemies for a very long time were the one who assisted them to start their lives anew.



https://www.kalinawnews.com/306-former-ctg-members-and-supporters-surrender-in-masbate/

Kalinaw News: 3 NPA rebels surrender to the Army in Surigao del Sur

Posted to Kalinaw News (Dec 26, 2019): 3 NPA rebels surrender to the Army in Surigao del Sur
(By 75th Infantry "Marauder" Battalion, Philippine Army)



BISLIG CITY, Surigao del Sur-Camp Jaime N Ferrer Sr, Brgy Maharlika, Bislig City (Stn) Two (2) New People’s Army (NPA) rebels of Guerrilla Front 19 (GF19) and one (1) NPA rebel of Guerrilla Front 30 (GF30) all of North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) surrendered with three (3) High Powered Firearms to 75th Infantry “Marauder” Battalion on Thursday, December 26, 2019.

The NPA rebels identified as AKA Jun and AKA Ursula, NPA couple of GF19; and AKA Jean of GF30 and they brought with them one (1) M16AI Rifle with one (1) long steel magazine loaded with twenty-eight (28) rounds ammunition; one (1) Norinco AK47 Rifle with one magazine loaded with twenty-nine (29) rounds ammunition; and one (1) Norinco AK47 Rifle with one magazine loaded with twenty-nine (29) rounds ammunition.

In a conversation, AKA Jun said, “Kinse katuig ko nag-uban sa kalihukan pero kakapoy lang, gutom ug sa ulahi wala man diay naitabang ang organisasyon sa amo. Giilad lang mi nila. Nakita pud namo na nindot karon ang mga programa sa gobyerno. Unya wala na mi nagduha-duha sa akong asawa nga musurrender sa 75IB. Kabalu ko nga pwede mi matabangan sa 75IB ug gobyerno sa among pagsurrender.” AKA Jun ended.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Warren C Munda, Commanding Officer of 75IB, had a dialogue with the surrenderees and thanked them for they laid down their firearms and voluntarily surrendered to the government. “To those who surrendered, thank you for you have contributed in making our country peaceful and orderly. The government and the Philippine Army will assist and support you in starting anew with your families and children. Let’s work hand in hand for us to achieve sustainable peace and inclusive development.” Lt. Col Munda stated.

Moreover, the surrenderees will be enrolled in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) from the government, as they will be receiving immediate cash and livelihood assistance as well as remuneration for the surrendered firearms. Further, today is the 51st CPP Anniversary, wherein it still dispense the escalating number of NPA rebels who surrender to the government.

This implicates that the government, the Philippine Army in particular is doing its best to end the local communist armed conflict for us to attain sustainable peace and inclusive development for the people and country. With the campaign made by the LGU together with different line agencies and the Philippine Army, more NPA rebels were able to surrender and enrolled to the E-CLIP program, thus improving their newly found way of life.

Duterte OK with exempting Davao City from ceasefire with NPA

From Rappler (Dec 26, 2019): Duterte OK with exempting Davao City from ceasefire with NPA (JC Gotinga)

The President's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, earlier requested that her city be excluded from the ceasefire because she believes communist guerrillas 'cannot be trusted'



FIRST DAUGHTER. President Rodrigo Duterte is 'okay' with his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's request for an exemption from a ceasefire with communist guerrillas. File photo from MalacaƱang

President Rodrigo Duterte is "okay" with a request from his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, to be exempted from the holiday ceasefire between government forces and the communist New People's Army (NPA), Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Thursday, December 26.

"Kay Presidente, okay lang naman, wala pa namang peace talks eh (For the President, it's okay, since there are no peace talks yet)," Panelo told reporters in a briefing in MalacaƱang.
The younger Duterte earlier asked her father's administration to exempt the city from the ceasefire in place from December 23, 2019, to January 7, 2020, because she believes the communist rebels cannot be trusted.

The NPA would only use the ceasefire as an opportunity to push back against the government, the mayor added.

The Duterte administration had reciprocated the Communist Party of the Philippines' (CPP) declaration of a ceasefire over the Christmas and New Year holidays, as the two sides work on the President's proposal to hold another round of peace negotiations, which he announced on December 5.

On December 23, the first day of the truce, the police and military reported 3 separate attacks that they blamed on the NPA. One Army soldier was killed and 6 others were wounded in an ambush in Labo, Camarines Norte, while two policemen were wounded in another another ambush in Iloilo. The third incident was reported in Tagkawayan, Quezon province.

MalacaƱang has condemned the incidents as violations of the ceasefire, but said the President would wait for an explanation from the CPP-NPA.

Asked whether Davao City's exemption from the ceasefire meant government forces would launch offensives against the guerrillas, Panelo said he did not know of any ongoing military offensives in the area.

Current localized peace talks were going well, which meant there would not be any hostilities between the military and the NPA anyway, Panelo added.

Peace talks between local government units and individual NPA fronts comprise the government's current main tack in resolving the communist rebellion, which marked its 51st year on Thursday.

Duterte ordered the localized peace talks in December 18, over a year after an earlier attempt to negotiate peace with the communists bogged down in November 2017.

Sara Duterte said she preferred to stick with the local government-led effort, and would ask to be exempted from an expected ceasefire if and when the proposed wholesale peace talks do take off.

Panelo echoed statements from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, saying they preferred localized peace talks because they have led to the surrender of many NPA guerrillas, effectively weakening the rebel force.

However, skirmishes between government troops and the NPA have been reported in different parts of the country despite local peace talks.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/247993-duterte-okay-exempting-davao-city-ceasefire-npa

Joma Sison: Meeting Duterte in PH before reform agreement approval 'premature'

From Rappler (Dec 26, 2019): Joma Sison: Meeting Duterte in PH before reform agreement approval 'premature'

The Communist Party of the Philippines founder says he is willing to meet with Duterte 'in a country near the Philippines' after the resumption of peace talks, among other conditions



NOT IN PH. Communist leader Jose Maria Sison says he is willing to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte, but 'in a country near the Philippines.' Rappler file photo

Responding to a dare by President Rodrigo Duterte, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria "Joma" Sison said a trip home before the approval of a reform agreement between the government and the communist rebels is "premature."

In a statement on Thursday, December 26, Sison argued that the negotiating panels of the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) – CPP's political wing – should first work out the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) "in a neutral venue abroad for the benefit of the people, especially with regard to genuine land reform and national industrialization."

"I thank President Duterte for the offer to meet him one-on-one. But it is premature for me to go to the Philippines before the mutual approval" of CASER, he said.

"Nevertheless, I am willing to meet with President Duterte in a country near the Philippines after the formal resumption of the peace negotiations and the mutual approval of the Interim Peace Agreement," said Sison, provided that the government of Norway would be the third-party facilitator.


This is to help "in securing the necessary political, legal and security guarantees from a number of pertinent countries," he added.

In arguing against going back to the Philippines, Sison said, "I would be putting the prospect of peace negotiations at risk if I make myself available for any kind of attack" by military and police officers "who think that they can end the revolutionary movement by getting rid of me and who are increasingly disobedient to President Duterte and continue to make offensive movements despite the current ceasefire ordered by the CPP to the NPA [New People's Army]."

Earlier Thursday, the 51st anniversary of CPP's founding, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte challenged Sison "to come home to the Philippines and have a one-on-one talk with the President" separately from the negotiating panels of either side.

Panelo also reiterated that no warrant would be enforced against Sison in case he decides to take Duterte up on the offer.

For his part, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said earlier that if Sison and the CCP "do not trust the assurance of the President that they will not be arrested, then that is their problem." (READ: Duterte, Joma Sison can't agree on venue for peace talks)

The President has sent Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to the Netherlands, where Sison is in exile, in another attempt to restart peace negotiations.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/248011-duterte-meeting-before-reform-agreement-premature-joma-sison

Protest rallies welcome CPP’s 51st anniversary in Region 12

From MindaNews (Dec 26, 2019): Protest rallies welcome CPP’s 51st anniversary in Region 12
(By BONG S. SARMIENTO)

Protest rallies in various parts of Region 12 greeted the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) as it celebrated its 51st anniversary Thursday.

At the same time, organizers urged members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the CPP’s armed wing, to abandon their armed struggle and return to mainstream society.

Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, Police Regional Office-12 spokesperson, said the simultaneous demonstrations against the CPP-NPA-NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) sought to denounce the “treacherous acts” allegedly committed by the communist guerillas, whom he urged to surrender.

“The strength of the communist rebels in the region is waning. To those still in the mountains, we urge you to surrender. The government will help you start living peaceful and productive lives,” he said.

Capellan noted the “declining force” of the NPA rebels was due to the arrest or surrender of ranking leaders, including the apprehension of Jonie Calaba, 25, deputy commander of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 73, in Maitum town, Sarangani province last October.


Also in October, authorities arrested Nicanor Claro Pason, alias “Ronron/Costan,” the secretary of Guerilla Front 73, and three other rebels also in Maitum.

Although he failed to give a figure, Capellan said that many NPA rebels returned to the folds of the law due to the ongoing military operations and because of the difficult life in the mountains.

In his anniversary message, CPP founding chair Jose Maria Sison slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for being “obsessed” in destroying the revolutionary movement “in order to please US imperialism and the local reactionary classes.”

Worst of all, “colossal amounts of public funds are wasted on bureaucratic and military corruption and on futile schemes to destroy the revolutionary movement and impose a fascist dictatorship on the people,” Sison said.

Sison, who has been on self-exile in The Netherlands, claimed that Duterte’s efforts “to destroy the CPP have failed.”

Duterte early this month ordered government peace negotiators to work out the resumption of stalled peace talks with the communist rebels.

Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire from December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020 to foster the environment favorable to the resumption of peace negotiations.

The United States government classified the CPP-NPA as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

In South Cotabato, Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. said that at least 60 NPA rebels had given up fighting the government in the last six months.

“They surrendered in different batches because they felt the services of the government reaching their communities,” he said.

Tamayo also cited the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which offers cash and livelihood assistance, as a key factor why the communist guerillas abandoned the armed struggle.

For his part, Col. Eduardo Gubat, commander of the Army-led Joint Task Force GenSan, slammed the communist rebels for also allegedly perpetrating “treacherous actions” against state security forces in their bid to overthrow the government.

“The government is winning the war against the communist rebels,” he claimed at the indignation rally here Thursday morning.

Sara Duterte slammed for bid to exempt Davao City from truce, peace talks

From MindaNews (Dec 26, 2019): Sara Duterte slammed for bid to exempt Davao City from truce, peace talks (By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV)



The National Democratic Front of the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Region (NDFP-SMR) has slammed City Mayor Sara Duterte for asking the national government to exclude this city from the ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks.

Rubi Del Mundo, NDFP-SMR spokesperson, said the presidential daughter’s contradictory opinion against the plan of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) to reopen the peace table with the NDFP “shows her wayward intolerance to human rights and justice.”

Both the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the government declared a 16-day unilateral holiday truce starting from December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020.


On Monday, the mayor asked the Duterte administration to exclude the city from the coverage of the GRP-NDFP peace talks, claiming it would only “dampen the gains” of her local peace initiative called “Peace 911.”

“To be covered by the ceasefire or the peace negotiations will only disrupt and threaten the gains of our process of peace and development in communities formerly controlled by the terrorists,” she said.

She claimed that Peace 911, the comprehensive peace-building program of the local government for conflict-affected areas in the city, had successfully “defeated the communist insurgency” in Paquibato District and in Barangay Dominga, Calinan District.

She said the civilian-led Peace 911 introduced the “peace economy,” which capacitated the Lumads in farming and marketing their products directly to buyers.

Roads, bridges, health centers and schools were opened due to Peace 911, Duterte said.

But in a statement on Wednesday, Del Mundo said the supposed “gains” of Peace 911 merely “deodorized the horrid stories of harassments, psywar, forced and fake surrenders of civilians as NPA members and forced recruitment to CAFGU (Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit), Alamara and Bagani paramilitary forces.”

Duterte blamed the previous attempts to arrive at a peace agreement to the alleged lack of sincerity of the communists in ending their armed struggle.

The mayor urged the national government not to return to the peace table with the NDFP as “sincerity is a strange word” to them.

“To believe that they desire a peaceful end to the insurgency problem would be playing ignorant of their bloody habit — how they slaughtered countless civilians in the past and made many countryside communities suffer from poverty and underdevelopment, and blaming the government for it,”
she added.

She said the communists continue to
“manipulate and turn communities to rise against the government, propagate fear, inflict abuses, extort, and execute and murder civilians through its deranged brand of revolutionary justice.”


Del Mundo said that Duterte “wrongly blamed” the alleged failure of the GRP-NDFP talks to the “countless criminal acts and treachery” of the NPA, the CPP’s armed wing.

According to the rebel leader, it was the military that allegedly violated “GRP’s ceasefire declarations, which only forced the NPA units to engage in self-defense.”

“Her diatribe against talking with the revolutionary forces shows her wayward intolerance to human rights and justice. She’s in fact happier to gag activists, kowtow to Chinese imperialist economic aggression, close Lumad schools and pamper the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” del Mundo said.


President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 360 on November 23, 2017 terminating peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDFP, for “lack of sincerity on the part of the rebels.” Both sides were scheduled to hold peace negotiations two days later, from November 25 to 27, 2017.

The President subsequently signed Proclamation 374, designating the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations.

Camiguin nagpabiling wala’y insurhensya; ipadayon ang RCSP

Posted to the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): Camiguin nagpabiling wala’y insurhensya; ipadayon ang RCSP (By Recthie T. Paculba)

Featured Image

MAMBAJAO, Camiguin, Dec. 12 (PIA) - Bisan nga nagpabiling wala’y kabangis, gipahingusgan pa sa Camiguin ang kampanya sa pagpausbaw sa kalinaw ug kahusay pinaagi sa pagpatuman sa Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP).

Una sa tali sa anti-illegal drug performance sa rehiyon ug nagtala ra ang 27 nga mga inde crimes, 80 nga non-index crimes, ug 36 public safety index crimes, ang Camiguin nagpabiling luwas ug malinawon nga lugar, diin ang pagkadunot sa krimen manageabke ra base sa pagtuki sa 58th Infantry Battalion nga gipresentar sa Fourth Quarter Joint Full Council Meeting, Disyembre 12, dinhi.

Aron mapadayon ang kalinaw ug kahusay sa probinsya, si Gov. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo miingon nga kung anaa na ang pondo, ang tanan nga mga residente sa Camiguin tagaan ug identification card aron masiguro nga tanan tao sa isla nailhan ug usab dili makasulod ang mga teroristang grupo sa probinsiya.

Mahitungod sa pagdumala sa mga barko sa dagat, giingon ni Romualdo nga ang tanan nga mga pump boat aduna'y number ug color coding diin ang mga operator kinahanglang magparehistro sa ilang mga yunit sa munisipyo.

Ang ingon makatabang sa Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) o bisan sa mga residente aron mahibal-an ang kalit nga pagsulod sa mga barko nga aduna'y kaduha-duhaang pagkatawo o katuyoan.

Sa pagpatuman sa probinsiya sa mga balaod aron magpabiling malinawon ang dapit, si Capt. Ryan Layug sa 403rd Infantry Brigade miingon nga ang RCSP, gilaraw aron mahibal-an ang mga kahimtang sa mga komunidad diin ang mga trabahante sa gobyerno mismo ang mamati ug maghimo sa aksyon aron makunhuran ang mga problema. Kini makatabang sa Camiguin aron ipadayon ang kalinaw ug makab-ot ang kalamboan.

Sa ilang bahin, girekomenda sa 58th Infantry Battalion ang mga local government units nga ipatuman ang ilang awtoridad aron masiguro nga ang ilang mga konstituwente dili mapahimuslan samtang ang una nagpadayon sa ilang aktibo nga pagpahamtang ug preemptive projection sa tropa, intelligence monitoring ug makanunayong report closure, ug pakig-uban sa mga grupo ug komunidad. (RTP/PIA10)

4ID honors battle casualties during 84th AFP Anniversary

Posted to the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): 4ID honors battle casualties during 84th AFP Anniversary (By 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army)

Featured Image

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 23 – In line with the commemoration of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 84th Founding Anniversary, the 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division Philippine Army gave recognition to the sacrifices of wounded diamond troopers at Camp Evangelista Station Hospital (CESH) on Friday morning, December 20, 2019.

MGen Franco Nemesio Gacal, 4ID Commander, together with the General and Personal Staff, visited the battle casualties and non-battle casualties confined at CESH to personally talk to them, check their morale and welfare and distribute Christmas presents.


Five battle casualties received Noche Buena package, cash gift, and tablet while 27 non-battle casualties received Noche Buena package together with their families as an early Christmas presents of the Command in recognization of their selfless service and sacrifices.

PFC Kenly Jertos, 26 yrs old from the 43rd Division Reconnaissance Company who got wounded last December 11, 2019 expressed his happiness and appreciation. “I am very much happy and honored to be visited by our Commander. Masaya ako sir, kasi ramdam ko ang pagpapahalaga and malasakit ni MGen Gacal, salamat po sir and Merry Christmas sa inyo."

Meanwhile, MGen Franco Nemesio Gacal said, “I would like to express the gratitude of the entire team 4ID to all your sacrifices, remember that each of you is a blessing to our Army and our nation. I remain indebted to your services and sacrifices on both combat and non-combat efforts.”

Along with my prayers for your fast recovery, may these simple presents you receive will give you happiness and may you feel the spirit of Christmas. I wish you a merry Christmas and happy new year." he added. (4ID)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032002

Army initiates mass wedding for former rebels

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): Army initiates mass wedding for former rebels (By 75IB, Phil. Army)

BISLIG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 26 -- The 75th Infantry “Marauder” Battalion (75IB), Philippine Army initiated a wedding ceremony to the former New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels, as one of the highlights of the battalion's 29th founding anniversary held at the 75IB headquarters on December 18, 2019.

The seven couples, composed of three former NPA rebels and four former NPA rebels turned into soldiers, were from the dismantled Guerilla Front 14, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (GF14, NEMRC).





The couple tied the knot in a ceremony officiated by Major Dionesio Acaso, Division Chaplain, 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division, Philippine Army with Bislig City Mayor Florencio Garay and wife Second District Board Member Margarita Garay, who served as principal sponsors of the newlywed couples.

Families, visitors, and friends were invited to witness the holy matrimony of the couples. Other visitors were Hinatuan Mayor Hon Shem Garay; representatives from the Presidential Management Staff-Caraga, Philsaga Mining Corporation, API Group of Company, SSS Bislig City, Rotary Club of Bislig, The Fraternal Order Club of Eagles, Filipinas Palm Oil Plantation Inc (FPPI), Southern Technology Institute of the Philippines (STIP), Conception Basic Builders Incorporated (CBBI), PCSO Bislig City and Radyo Bandera.

Meanwhile, alias Vladimir got teary-eyed during the entourage. He then expressed his gratitude to the 75IB and other stakeholders who facilitated the activity.

"Nagpasalamat mig utro uban akong asawa sa suporta na gihatag sa 75IB sa amo. Karon, bag-ong dalan na ang among agion, ang dalan kung asa mi magtukod ug pamilya nga malipayon ug hapsay. Salamat sa atong gobyerno ug sa 75IB sa ilang pinakamalipayong pinaskohan na among nadawat karon. Salamat sa inyong suporta ug paghigugma (Again, we express our thanks together with my wife for the support given to us by the 75IB. Now, we have a new path, the way we build a happy and orderly family. Thank you to our government and the 75IB for the happiest Christmas that we ever received. Thank you for your support and love)," AKA Vladimir said in a local dialect.



In his message, Mayor Florencio Garay of Bislig City congratulated the 75IB for keeping its Area of Responsibility(AOR) peaceful and likewise congratulated the newlyweds.

"I honor the 75IB in upholding the traditions of love, inspiring unity and cooperation through this Christmas season. May the celebration nurture solidarity, objectives, and goals for the benefit of the Filipino people, particularly the people of Bislig. If there's no peace, we will not achieve progress," Mayor Garay said.


Further, Lieutenant Col. Warren Munda, Commanding Officer of 75IB, expressed his gratitude to the city government of Bislig, stakeholders, and the Marauder troopers for the untiring support displayed by everyone.

"We'll work together with unity in promoting our vision and mission for peace and development. The 75IB will always be proud to pursue the Philippine Army's vision towards professionalism to serve better and people whom we are mandated to serve. Thus, we always leave up to the Army Slogan of being at your service across the land," added Lt. Col. Munda. (Cpt Edwin Leo Francisco, 75IB CMO/PIA Surigao del Sur)

Kinaray-a News: Pulong-pulong sa sektor kang mga lamharon ginhiwat

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): Kinaray-a News: Pulong-pulong sa sektor kang mga lamharon ginhiwat (By Vicente W. Villavert)

SAN JOSE, Antique, Disyembre 26 (PIA) - - Nangin kabahin ang sektor kang mga lamharon sa ginpatigayun nga Campus Peace and Development Forum nga nagpasanag sa mga estudyante kang maathag nga laragway kang anda papel bahin sa community peace building.

Kapin sa 500 ka mga estudyante kag mga maestro ang nagtambong sa nahinambitan nga activity sa University of Antique (UA) sa Sibalom, Antique nga kon sa diin ginpanawagan kang UA President Pablo Crespo ang mga estudyante nga magpamati gid sa mga topiko nga talakayun bahin sa Executive Order No. 70, nga may katuyuan sa pag tau igtalupangud sa mga sa ugat kang insurhensya pinaagi sa Whole-of-Nation approach kag pagtukod kang National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Ginpabutyag ni DILG Antique Provincial Director Cherryl Tacda nga kinahanglanon gid ang pagtukod kang national task force nga magatau kang mekanismo para sa implementasyun kang Whole-of-Nation Approach agud magiyahan ang pagdab-ot sa alalangay kag sustainable nga kalinungan.


Ginapaathag ni DILG Antique Provincial Director Cherryl Tacda sa mga estudyante kag mga maestro kang University of Antique sa Sibalom, Antique ang bahin sa Executive Order No. 70, nga may katuyuan sa pag tau igtalupangud sa mga sa ugat kang insurhensya pinaagi sa Whole-of-Nation approach and the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict sa panahon nga ginahiwat ang Campus Peace and Development Forum. (PIA Antique/TW V)

Ginpanawagn ni Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Q. Alcarde, Philippine Air Force, TOG 6 Group Commander, ang mga estudyane nga anda palanggaun ang anda mga ginikanan, kag sanda man magtuon gid kang husto sa anda leksyon agud makatapos kang kurso sa kolehiyo agud mangin epektibo sa pag-promote kang kalinong kag kauswagan sa anda kumonidad.

Ang Campus Peace and development Forum ginlakipan man kang lecture kang National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, kag demonstrasyon kang K-9 Unit nga kon sa diin nasurpresa gid ang mga estudyante sa kinaadman kang explosive-detection dog.

Ginpaandaman ang mga estudyante kang mga resource persons sa panahon nga ginahiwat ang open forum bahin sa mga pag pangrecruit kang mga estudyante nga ginapatigayun kang mga left-leaning organizations kag iban pa nga mga grupo.

Ang Campus Peace and Development Forum ginpatigayon kang provincial government pinaagi sa Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPS) sa koordinasyon kang UA, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Army, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Philippine National Police, kag iban pa nga mga stakeholders.

Kon madumduman, ang Provincial Task Force ELCAC pinaagi sa POPS nakapatigayun ron kang darwa ka Medical, Dental and Information Caravan sa mga munisipalidad kang San Remigio kag Valderrama, probinsya kang Antique. (JBG/VWV/PIA Antique)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1031946

Tubungan mulls ‘unwelcome tag’ on CPP-NPA

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): Tubungan mulls ‘unwelcome tag’ on CPP-NPA (By Leonard T. Pineda, I)

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ILOILO CITY, Dec. 26 (PIA6) – The local government unit of Tubungan, Iloilo is planning to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) as persona non grata.

In a press conference held recently, Tubungan mayor Roquito Tacsagon said that the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) will convene on Friday, Dec. 27, to discuss the possible declaration of CPP-NPA as persona non grata.


“The CPP-NPA has been a perennial problem in the municipality and they have been existing for a long time,” he said.

He said that with the recent ambush attempt which took place on Dec. 23 in Singon village, this triggered the LGU for possible declaration of the communist rebels as “unwelcome.”

“We cannot attain development if we cannot address the peace and order situation and the insurgency,” he said.

He said that when he started his term as the town’s top local chief executive, he assured to uphold good governance and that the needs of the people in the municipality will be catered to.

He added that the recent encounter had a negative impact on the tourism sector of the municipality as there have been only few visitors in the town.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61IB Commanding Officer, welcomed the plan of the local government unit of Tubungan to declare the CPP-NPA as "persona non grata."

He said more LGUs in the region have denounced and expressed disinterest against the communist rebels. (JBG/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032005

123 CNT members, supporters surrender to Army in SurSur

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): 123 CNT members, supporters surrender to Army in SurSur (By 36IB, Phil. Army)

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec 26 -- A total of 123 Communist NPA Terrorist (CNT) members and their supporters voluntarily surrendered to the Community Support Program (CSP) teams of the Army’s 36th Infantry (Valor) Battalion (36IB) from the third and fourth quarters of the year 2019 in the province of Surigao del Sur.





Of the 123 surrenderees, 10 of them are NPA regulars on lie-low status, 32 were Milisya ng Bayan, five Sanga sa Partido sa Localidad (SPL) and 76 Underground Mass Organization (UGMO) members.

Accordingly, they were from Sitio Banahao of Barangay Maitom in Tandag City; Sitio Cadlum of Barangay Cabangahan in Tago town; and Sitio Baroboan of Barangay Carromata, Sitio Kiskis of Barangay Siagao, and Sitio Inadan of Barangay Magroyong, all in San Miguel town.


The said locations were identified as conflict-affected areas and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where the communities are vulnerable to the recruitment of the CNTs through their lies and deceit to join their futile cause.

CSP teams deployed in Sitio Banahao, Barangay Maitom facilitated a total of 71 surrenderees; 11 surrenderees in Sitio Inadan, 24 in Sitio Kis-kis, eight in Sitio Cadlum, and nine surrenderees in Sitio Baroboan.

One of the regular NPA members expressed his resentment to the CNTs for the miserable life he suffered inside the organization. He realized that the NPA is fighting a lost cause, while their leaders are enjoying a better life through extortion and revolutionary taxes.

“Life there is so difficult, every day we roam in the mountains looking and seeking for an answer on our cause. I voluntarily surrendered because I was afraid that maybe one day my life will be in danger and a possibility that someday I cannot see my family anymore,” he said.

In a statement, Lt. Col. Jezreel Diagmel, 36IB Commanding Officer said, the mass surrender is the result of the military’s relentless combat operations against the CNTs and the deployment CSP teams in the identified conflict-affected areas with the help of the LGU and other stakeholders within the 36IB area of operation.

“The CNTs are weakening and have been losing mass base support which is their lifeblood in advancing their objectives. The growing numbers of surrenders and shifting of support of the masses to the government is a manifestation that they are already awakened on the deception strategy and the futile arm struggle of the CNT’s,” the army official added.

The 123 CNT members and supporters who surrendered will undergo the process of validation for them to qualify and avail for the enrollment of the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), a government intervention program intended for the formal rebels. (Capt. Jonald Romorosa, 36IB-CMO/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

Over 38 rebels surrender in AgSur town

From the Philippine Information Agency (Dec 26, 2019): Over 38 rebels surrender in AgSur town (By Doreen Marielle N. Rosales)

BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 26 -- Through the joint efforts of the La Paz Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) and the Community Support Program (CSP) of the Philippine Army, the voluntary surrender of 38 rebels from different left-leaning groups was induced on December 17 in La Paz, Agusan del Sur.

Among those who surrendered were two regular members of the Guerilla Front 88 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), two on lay low members, eight active members of the Militia ng Bayan (MB), eight former members currently in support, and 18 mass supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Upon surrender, firearms and ammunition were also yielded from the rebels such as four cal. 45 pistols, one KG-9 sub machine gun pistol, one ARMSCOR shotgun, two homemade rifles known as “surit”, over 65 ammunitions, and five magazines.


The mayor of the said municipality Michael D. Lim officiated the recitation of the Oath of Allegiance to the Philippine Constitution and assured the surrenderees that they will be assisted by the local government in establishing their new lives as law-abiding citizens of the Philippine law.

“Through the mandate of the Executive Order No. 70, we will implement all the necessary livelihood programs in your community that will help you improve your economic status and relieve you from poverty,” he said.

Lt. Col. Romeo C. Jimenea, Commanding Officer of the 26th Infantry Battalion, also lauded the task force for such an accomplishment, citing it as a marker of the effectiveness of the executive order in combating insurgency.

“We have already made great progress in our campaign against insurgency. With the cooperation of everyone and other agencies, creating conflict-resilient communities will be more than just a goal, it will indeed become a reality,” he added. (26IB/PIA-Caraga)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1032022