Revival of centralized peace talks with Reds unlikely –Lacson

Published December 28, 2020 05:46 PM By DONA MAGSINO,GMA News

The resumption of centralized peace talks with communist rebels may no longer be recommended by the government's security sector especially now that the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army (CPP-NPA), had been designated by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) as a terrorist group.

"Having the momentum with the series of successful operations against the CPP-NPA who are now officially a 'designated terrorist group' by virtue of the authority vested by the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 upon the Anti-Terrorism Council, I doubt if the security sector will recommend the resumption of centralized peace talks to the President," Lacson said in a statement.

"While we should not give up on peace, we should learn from the experiences of the past. It is better to have localized peace efforts, with guidance and support from the national government," he added.

The senator made this remark after leftist leaders reportedly called for the resumption of peace talks amid the threat of freezing the assets of the CPP-NPA.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council approved the freeze order of accounts related to the CPP-NPA, following its designation as a terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice.

Lacson, the principal sponsor of the Anti-Terror Law, said the designation was a "resource denial operation" meant to "tighten the noose on the financial and logistical needs of the CPP-NPA."

Nevertheless, he added that ensuring the safety and just treatment for those who would surrender must still be upheld.

Aside from the CPP-NPA, the Islamic State East Asia and its local affiliates in the Philippines had been designated as terrorist groups by the ATC

in another resolution which was also approved on December 9, 2020.

The CPP rejected the decision, describing it as a "precursor for heightened fascist suppression against the broad democratic forces which are being red-baited and persecuted for fighting Duterte's tyrannical rule."

President Rodrigo Duterte terminated peace negotiations with the communist group in November 2017, with the Palace citing the alleged lack of sincerity and commitment on the part of the communists.

The following month, Duterte declared through a proclamation that the CPP-NPA is a terrorist organization. The National Democratic Front, however, was not mentioned in the proclamation.

In 2018, the Department of Justice asked a Manila court to legally declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.

The said petition has been junked and then revived again by the court in February 2020. To date, a ruling regarding this is still pending. — DVM, GMA News

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