Intensifying the government’s campaign against its “anarchical activities,” President Duterte has ordered authorities to pursue the proscription case seeking to declare the communist rebel group as a terrorist organization.
The President also authorized the creation a national task force to address the armed conflict as well as the investigation of the massacre of nine sugar farmers in Negros Occidental during a high-level security meeting with officials in Cebu last Tuesday, according to his Spokesman Salvador Panelo.
President Rodrigo Duterte (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN)
The meeting of Executive Committee-National Security Council (EC-NSC) chaired by the President discussed issues and concerns that “disturb our national security.”
“Among the matters discussed were the recent anarchical activities of the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front),” Panelo said.
“The President was unwavering with regard to the issue as a result of the communist group’s efforts in infiltrating and overthrowing the government. PRRD ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to pursue the proscription case against the CPP/NPA/NDF as a terrorist organization,” he said.
The government earlier filed a petition before the Manila Regional Trial Court to declare the communist group as a terrorist organization, citing terror activities and other atrocities. The move came after the President terminated peace negotiations with the rebels over violence and hostilities endangering lives and properties of innocent people.
In the same closed-door security meeting, Panelo said the President announced the creation of the National Task Force “to address the armed conflict occasioned by the local communists.” He added there was no information yet on the composition of the new task force.
The massacre of the farmers in Sagay, Negros Occidental was also tackled during the security meeting convened by the President.
“The President also directed that an in-depth investigation be undertaken anent the shooting incident in Sagay which resulted in the deaths of nine farmers,” Panelo said.
The President earlier tagged the communist rebels as allegedly behind the brutal killing of the farmers in Sagay last month. He said it was the style of the rebels to kill their own comrades and blame the deaths on the government.
The President’s latest directives came following the military’s discovery of an alleged plot of the communist group and other opposition forces to overthrow the government. The rebels were allegedly pursuing activities, including occupation of private and public lands, to incite unrest against the administration.
When he assumed office in 2016, the President resumed peace talks with the communists, even allowing left-leaning activities to join his Cabinet. The cordial ties however crumbled when he denounced the rebels’ continued attacks on government troops.
Duterte later decided to cancel the peace talks amid concerns the rebels were insincere in the talks and merely wanted to grab power. Conditions to the revival of the talks include a ceasefire, cessation of rebel taxation, and no demand for coalition government.
Recently, Duterte asked communist leader Jose Maria Sison to give him a good reason to revive the talks.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/11/02/duterte-seeks-action-declaring-cpp-terror-organization-forms-task-force-vs-armed-conflict/
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