The founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines opens up about his health, why he is a 'refugee in orbit', and his views on some issues in his homeland
JOMA SISON. The founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines says his status in the Netherlands is a 'refugee in orbit.' Photo by Fritzie Rodriguez/Rappler
UTRECHT, Netherlands – It is around 14 degrees in the sleepy town of Utrecht, over 6,000 miles away from scorching 30-degree Manila. Jose Maria Sison is dressed in a red sweater, spewing out tales of capitalism and marxism in between questions.
At 76, the
founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines
He is also wary
of high blood pressure and pneumonia.
But the old man
remains sharp, with his hands slightly pounding the table occasionally to
stress a point. He shares his thoughts either with visitors or on Facebook,
which he is fond of these days.
He sits
comfortably, with a big flag of the National Democratic Front (NDF) hanging
behind him. Beside the book shelves are bikes parked against the walls. Sison
acts as a chief political consultant to the NDF.
Refugee in
orbit
He is currently a
“refugee in orbit,” he says, as he offers cups of coffee in the NDF information
bureau. The office is used by the NDF negotiating panel and also serves as
Sison’s home.
Refugees in orbit
are those reshuffled from one host country to another, without a stable refuge.
“I’m, in fact, grounded here,” he says.
Sison applied for
political asylum, with the highest administrative court recognizing him as a
political refugee in 1992. This makes him entitled to “absolute protection”
under the European Convention on Human Rights.
“I cannot be sent
out of the Netherlands, not even to a third country, because that would put me
at risk of being sent to the country where I came from, where I face the
possibility of torture, inhuman and cruel treatment,” Sison explains, recalling
his suffering during the Marcos regime.
“After the Marcos
period, I’m still ‘wanted.’ So many charges being made against me,” he adds.
“Every time there is an incident in the Philippines
Here is Sison’s
take on a few issues in his homeland:
Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino program
“Ang taktika
raw diyan, alamin kung saan malakas ang NPA, tapos ‘yun ang bubuhusan nila ng
pera,” Sison says. “Alamin nila sino kamag-anakan ng NPA,
bibigyan nila ng special concession.
(The supposed
tactic there is to determine where the NPA is strong, and to pour funds there.
They would track down NPA relatives and give them special concession.)
“Pero ang
kabutihan para sa NPA, corrupt ‘yung burukrasyang militar. ‘Di talaga
nag-spread ang pera, nag-iimbento ng indigents na binigyan ng
pera.” (READ: COA report on 4Ps)
(The tactic there
is to know where NPA is strong, then that’s where they put more money. They
find out who are the relatives of the NPA, and give them special concession.
But the good thing for the NPA there is that the military bureaucracy is
corrupt. The money doesn’t spread, indigents receiving money are invented.)
The Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or conditional cash transfer is the Aquino
administration’s flagship poverty reduction program. It provides cash grants to
families as long as they send their children to school and health check-ups.
The Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) releases the money to qualified
beneficiaries.
SAF 44
“If ceasefire is
maintained with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) on the expectations of
MILF will receive so much, will benefit so much from BBL (Bangsamoro Basic
Law), the ceasefire is maintained so that more troops will be placed in Eastern
Mindanao,” Sison explains.
“Of course, [the
plan] was upset when you have a stupid president, he appoints a suspended
police general to be in overall command and no compassion for anyone. He was
already told that the SAF (Special Action Force) will be put in danger in
Mamasapano.”
“‘MILF was also
not consulted, so there’s a problem,” he adds. “The plan to add more troops in Eastern Mindanao was upset.”
According to
Sison, the government estimates that 40% of the total national strength of the
New People’s Army (NPA) is in Eastern Mindanao ,
which is why more troops are to be deployed in the area. “They will concentrate
55 to 60% of the total strength, they will defeat [NPA], and that will inflict
a crippling blow.”
Peace talks,
retirement
What would make
the peace talks with communist rebels successful in the coming
years?
For Sison, it’s a
leader who understands the position of the communist movement, which stands for
“national independence and democracy.”
Sison adds that a
secular-minded leader is crucial in the peace talks.
“[Someone who is]
open to what is reasonable and just. Not those with religious conviction or
ideological conviction that by all means you have to defeat the communists.”
Asked about the
future, Sison says he still wants to explore the "socialist future based
on the unraveling of neoliberalism and wars of aggression."
Will he be
retiring soon?
"I wanted to
step down from ILPS (International League of Peoples' Struggle) but they said
for me to stay, so I did," Sison says.
"I'll die
with my boots on," he quips.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/117292-joma-sison-philippine-issues
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