Palace defends Duterte order to destroy NPA

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 24): Palace defends Duterte order to destroy NPA

Malacañang on Monday defended anew President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s order to his troops to reject the unilateral ceasefire declared by communist rebels and instead “destroy” them, stressing that it was the Chief Executive’s constitutional duty to protect Filipinos.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark after Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison called Duterte an “abominable violator of human rights” after the President, in a speech, urged security forces to eliminate all members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

“The President's order to destroy the CPP-NPA and all its legal fronts is pursuant to his constitutional duty to protect the people,” Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo said the CPP-NPA, which has been around for 50 years, “was established for the purpose of seizing political power from the constituted government.”

He pointed out that members of the CPP-NPA have “waged a continuing rebellion and engaged in the killing of soldiers, policemen, civilians, destroying properties, extorting money from businessmen and landlords.”

Moreover, he said NPA members have been kidnapping civilians and men in uniform, committing acts of terrorism, and even exterminating their own comrades.

Panelo said these atrocities alone showed that it was the CPP-NPA violating human rights, disobeyed laws, and infringed the Constitution with impunity.

“In doing these atrocities the CPP-NPA aided by -- and in conspiracy with -- its legal fronts, violated the human rights of their victims, disobeyed the laws of the land, and infringed the Constitution with such impunity in order to destroy the democratic way of life enshrined in the Constitution as crafted by its framers and ratified by the sovereign people,” Panelo said.

“It is Jose Ma. Sison, as founder of the CPP-NPA, that aims to destroy the government that should rightfully get the dubious distinction of being the leading ‘abominable violator of human rights," he added.

Because of these crimes, Panelo said it was only the inherent right of the state to defend itself and the President is mandated to protect the government and the governed.

Panelo reminded Sison that the government will ensure that it continues to send its forces to annihilate those who seek to dismantle the democratic society.

“The CPP-NPA in sowing violence against the people will reap violence from its protector. That is the irreversible law of karma or the law of cause and effect,” Panelo said.

Lay down arms

Meanwhile, Panelo called on communist rebels anew to lay down their arms and return to the fold of law, assuring them of livelihood, education for their children, among other benefits.

“We call on our brother rebels that have chosen to thread the path of destruction and bloodshed. It is not too late to return to the fold of the law,” Panello said.

“Your families await the warmth and the joy of your return. Let us end the internecine among Filipinos,” Panelo said. “The road to peace and reconciliation is more desirable than the road to bloodshed and destruction. There is honor in returning to the rule of law."

Duterte, in a speech before troops in Camp General Manuel Yan Sr. in Compostela Valley said destroying all members of the NPA was the only way to achieve law and order in the country.

“Law and order, means you have to destroy, not really fight, but destroy the Communist Party of the Philippines, including its legal fronts and infrastructure,” Duterte said.

“Unless we are able to destroy every one of them, ang ating mga anak o apo ninyo ganun pa rin ang haharapin (our children and grandchildren will face the same problems),” he said.

Earlier, Duterte described the NPA as “cruel and brutal people” and would rather have the military finish them off than call for a holiday truce.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1057412