TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — As the Philippine government has stopped the peace talks following unabated extortion and human rights violations perpetrated by guerilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) armed wing: the New People’s Army (NPA), local peace negotiations continue.
Thus asserts the Bohol Provincial Peace and Order Council in its recent meeting at the new Executive Session Hall of the new Provincial Capitol here in Tagbilaran.
CAPITALIZING ON FEAR. 47IB Commanding Officer LtCol. Eufracio Malig Jr., has leaked that the NPAs are now shaking off the political ideology for the business prospect of extorting their way to a good lifestyle. (PIA/Bohol)
In April of 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10 centralizing all government efforts for the re-integration of former rebels and creating a task force for this.
The order has integrated the older Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) under the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan(PAMANA) under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace process.
CLIP seeks to achieve permanent and peaceful closure of all armed conflicts with non-government armed groups while PAMANA goes into community based projects for insurgency affected conflict areas.
With the order, the President has integrated all of these efforts through Balik Loob Program in now what would be called the Enhanced CLIP or eCLIP.
In Bohol however, more and more communist rebels have signified their intent to join the mainstream of society, tired of restless evasion from continued military operations.
Most of those intending to come down from the hills are those disillusioned by the corroded ideology and their derision to the criminal activities to effectively recruit younger members, according to military sources.
“From an ideology, the armed struggle in the country, or at least in Bohol has veered into as business to survive.”
Thus says army commander of the only army unit taking charge of the province’s internal security against communist terrorists and violent extremists, during the recent PPOC here in Tagbilaran City.
Army Lieutenant Colonel Eufracio Malig Jr., took the opportunity to say what many believed is the current trend in the 50-year old armed struggle.
The ideology has become a business, bared Malig during the same day the CPP NPA NDF celebrated their 50th anniversary.
As the exiled leaders of the CPP-NDF engaged the government in peace talks in Norway, its armed guerillas in the hinterlands continued to defy their leaders calls to lay down their arms to give in to the negotiations.
In 2017, former military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said While the ceasefire and peace negotiations are ongoing, terrorist NPA members continue to ambush soldiers, leading President Rodrigo Duterte to terminate the ceasefire.
Earlier, in April last year, President Duterte again reopened the government’s willingness to come to the peace negotiations, and demanded a ceasefire yet again.
During the ceasefire, he reiterated that collection of the revolutionary taxes, burning of government equipment and civilian properties should be stopped.
“No taxation, no atrocities, nothing! Just come here as a plain citizen. You [are] protected by our policy of rapprochement with open heart,” Duterte added, Sunstar reported.
In January this year, exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison accepted Duterte’s offer again to come to the tables for peace.
Last February, during the Peace and Order Summit in Albay, President Duterte invited the New People’s Army, the fighting arm of the CPP NDF, but demands they stop extortion.
Apparently however, Sison and the communist top leaders could not control their armed guerilla groups and factions, who have changed from the communist ideology to that of the lucrative business of extortion and capitalizing on the terror they have sowed.
At the meeting, PPOC member Romeo Teruel asked the army officer his take on the stoppage of the peace talks and its impact to Bohol.
Malig, on his part support the President’s decision.
“We all know we have been engaging [them] for the past administrations, [but] it is always the same result.”
In fact, Malig explained during the peace negotiations, they use their free passes to further their cause.
Authorities accuse that ceasefire declarations have been used to strengthen their ranks, recruit and re-gain NPA mass base, noting the upsurge of front groups in white areas.
Over this, local negotiations continue, and that is why we continue with the ECLIP, Governor Edgar Chatto, PPOC Chairman said.
During the meeting, the army presented some of the eCLIP beneficiaries, those who have gotten the sense to abandon their failed ideologies, according to another army official, during the meeting.
“We know most of them are tired of fighting, and if not of the arrogance of those on top, this would have ended long ago, the official continued.
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1021121
In Bohol however, more and more communist rebels have signified their intent to join the mainstream of society, tired of restless evasion from continued military operations.
Most of those intending to come down from the hills are those disillusioned by the corroded ideology and their derision to the criminal activities to effectively recruit younger members, according to military sources.
“From an ideology, the armed struggle in the country, or at least in Bohol has veered into as business to survive.”
Thus says army commander of the only army unit taking charge of the province’s internal security against communist terrorists and violent extremists, during the recent PPOC here in Tagbilaran City.
Army Lieutenant Colonel Eufracio Malig Jr., took the opportunity to say what many believed is the current trend in the 50-year old armed struggle.
The ideology has become a business, bared Malig during the same day the CPP NPA NDF celebrated their 50th anniversary.
As the exiled leaders of the CPP-NDF engaged the government in peace talks in Norway, its armed guerillas in the hinterlands continued to defy their leaders calls to lay down their arms to give in to the negotiations.
In 2017, former military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said While the ceasefire and peace negotiations are ongoing, terrorist NPA members continue to ambush soldiers, leading President Rodrigo Duterte to terminate the ceasefire.
Earlier, in April last year, President Duterte again reopened the government’s willingness to come to the peace negotiations, and demanded a ceasefire yet again.
During the ceasefire, he reiterated that collection of the revolutionary taxes, burning of government equipment and civilian properties should be stopped.
“No taxation, no atrocities, nothing! Just come here as a plain citizen. You [are] protected by our policy of rapprochement with open heart,” Duterte added, Sunstar reported.
In January this year, exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison accepted Duterte’s offer again to come to the tables for peace.
Last February, during the Peace and Order Summit in Albay, President Duterte invited the New People’s Army, the fighting arm of the CPP NDF, but demands they stop extortion.
Apparently however, Sison and the communist top leaders could not control their armed guerilla groups and factions, who have changed from the communist ideology to that of the lucrative business of extortion and capitalizing on the terror they have sowed.
At the meeting, PPOC member Romeo Teruel asked the army officer his take on the stoppage of the peace talks and its impact to Bohol.
Malig, on his part support the President’s decision.
“We all know we have been engaging [them] for the past administrations, [but] it is always the same result.”
In fact, Malig explained during the peace negotiations, they use their free passes to further their cause.
Authorities accuse that ceasefire declarations have been used to strengthen their ranks, recruit and re-gain NPA mass base, noting the upsurge of front groups in white areas.
Over this, local negotiations continue, and that is why we continue with the ECLIP, Governor Edgar Chatto, PPOC Chairman said.
During the meeting, the army presented some of the eCLIP beneficiaries, those who have gotten the sense to abandon their failed ideologies, according to another army official, during the meeting.
“We know most of them are tired of fighting, and if not of the arrogance of those on top, this would have ended long ago, the official continued.
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1021121
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