AFP worries about possible exploitation of ceasefire

From the Daily Tribune (Aug 29): AFP worries about possible exploitation of ceasefire

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is hopeful that mechanisms are formulated to address possible exploitation of the indefinite ceasefire.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP-Public Affairs Office chief, maintained that the 150,000-strong military could only hope that the communist group is sincere in talking peace with the government.

Arevalo said the military is hopeful that mechanism and safety nets would be covered by the joint statement to be crafted by the peace panels to ensure that the ceasefire would not be taken advantage.

“Hopefully, safety nets… mechanisms will be contained therein. Somehow we are hopeful to all of these, that they are sincere and those things will be threshed out or be part of the joint ceasefire document or mechanism,” Arevalo said.

He added that while the military suspended operations against the NPA, troops could still monitor situation on the ground. He said that ceasefire mechanisms could address complaints arising from both sides during the truce.

“There could be mechanism that would allow us to, for example, complain if we are monitoring any such kind of actions (recruitment) on their part,” the AFP official said.

For the military, Arevalo said that it can take advantage of the “silencing of the guns” by conducting retraining.

“We are also taking advantage, good advantage of this lull,” Arevalo said.

In fact, the military now enjoys redeployment of troops in Sulu and Basilan to finish off the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group due to the ceasefire with the NPA.

Tribune sources in the military have noted that previous ceasefire agreements with the CPP-NPA were only exploited by the communist group — taking advantage of the suspension of offensive military operations by consolidating its forces and recruiting new fighters.

The sources said the troops would be demoralized if nothing happened with the ongoing peace negotiations, noting the release of  several top-ranking NPA rebels named as consultants by the NDF in the peace process.

A senior AFP official stressed that the military invested too much resources in capturing these NPA leaders, including couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, chairman and secretary general, respectively, of the CPP-Central Committee, and Tirso Alcantara.

But the AFP stressed that it fully supports peace initiatives of the Duterte administration.

President Duterte has declared an indefinite ceasefire with the CPP-NPA to pave the way for the formal peace negotiations between the government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front, the political wing of the CPP-NPA.  

The CPP-NPA reciprocated Duterte’s ceasefire with its own interim ceasefire — extending the seven-day truce declared last Aug. 21 to 27 or during the first round of formal talks in Oslo, Norway.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said yesterday that it cannot touch the communist rebels from collecting their so-called “revolutionary taxes.”

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said, in a radio interview, that it’s up to the leadership of the CPP-NPA-NDF if they will still pursue in collecting funds that are considered to be “extortion money.”

“With respect to the other activities, purportedly done by the CPP-NPA-NDF, it’s up to their ranks to manage their illgal activities,” Andanar said as a response to the query if the government will lift a finger to stop the rebel’s extortion activities.

As if boosting their moral, it is apparent that President Duterte is the first Chief Executive of the country to recognize the de facto governance of the CPP-NPA in guerilla zones in the countryside as a “revolutionary government.”

Duterte earlier had revealed that he’s willing to share the state’s power to the communist movement.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/afp-worries-about-possible-exploitation-of-ceasefire