NSC exec: Gov't 'in better position' on exploratory talks with Reds

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 15, 2024): NSC exec: Gov't 'in better position' on exploratory talks with Reds (By Priam Nepomuceno)

NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya (PNA file photo)

MANILA – The Philippine government is now in a better position to make demands once the peace talks with the remaining communist rebels and their allies formally start, a ranking official of the National Security Council (NSC) said Monday.

In a radio interview, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the government has "leverage" to do this amid the NPA's weakened state due to focused military operations and dwindling mass base support.

"Marami akong mga kaibigan nagpupunta na ng Quezon, nagpupunta sa Bondoc Peninsula, dati NPA infested area yan. Ngayon, makikita mo sa FB (Facebook), nasa beach sila so yung ating bansa, nakamit na natin and we are enjoying the fruits of the victory of the government laban sa mga komunista (I have many friends who are travelling to Quezon, to the Bondoc Peninsula, which used to be an area infested by the NPA. Now you see them on Facebook, they are at the beaches in these areas. This shows our country, we have achieved victory and we are enjoying the fruits of the victory of the government against the communists)," he added.

Asked why the government still pushes for peace talks with the NPA, Malaya said this is to "speed up" efforts to achieve peace.

"If we can spare one life, we can prevent more violence, eh kailangan tugunan kasi syempre mas maganda kung ang kapayapaan ay mapapabilis. Sa kasaysayan ng conflicts sa buong mundo, kadalasan may political settlement yan, sa tingin po ng pamahalaan natin, itong Oslo Communique, 'yung pag-uusap for a political settlement, baka ito yung makapag pabilis sa tunay na kapayapaan (we need to address that because it would be better if we achieve peace faster. In the history of conflicts around the world, oftentimes there is what we call political settlement. Our government sees the Oslo Communique, the talks for a political settlement, this might speed up the process to achieve genuine peace)," Malaya said.

In November last year, the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF), agreed to a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict" through the Oslo communique.

Malaya also raised alarm over the CPP's 55th anniversary statement on Dec. 26 last year, which called for a rectification movement, instructing its members to "stir up and spread the flames of the people's war."

"Kung magko-collapse man ang (In case of a collapse) of) peace talks o exploratory talks, it will not be the fault of the government, it will be the fault of the CPP-NPA-NDF," Malaya said, stressing that this is due to the insurgents' lack of sincerity.

Over the weekend, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. noted that there are no active guerrilla fronts in the country as of December last year.

He noted that in 2023, around 1,398 members of communist and local terrorist groups were neutralized and some 1,751 firearms were seized.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said focused military operations also resulted in the neutralization of 67 high-value individuals of communist and local terrorist groups.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1216915