CPP no longer supports Duterte’s war on drugs

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has said that it is no longer supporting President Rodrigo Duterte's fight against illegal drugs.

"In line with standing orders, the New People’s Army (NPA) will continue to intensify its operations to arrest and disarm drug trade operators and protectors. However, these will no longer be considered as cooperative with the Duterte regime’s undemocratic and anti-people 'war on drugs,'" the CPP said in a statement issued on Friday.

Only last month, the CPP declared its support for Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs.

In the statement issued early July, the CPP had accepted Duterte's challenge to "kill" drug suspects during a speech at the Armed Forces' change of command.

"In positive response, the CPP reiterates its standing order for the NPA to carry out operations to disarm and arrest the chieftains of the biggest drug syndicates, as well as other criminal syndicates involved in human rights violations and destruction of the environment," the CPP said in its previous statement.

However, the CPP said that Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs has "clearly become anti-people and anti-democratic."

"Human rights are being violated with impunity by police personnel, emboldened by Duterte’s assurances of 'I got your back' and his public declarations of contempt against human rights," it added.

The communist movement hit Duterte saying the President "has become so full of himself and intoxicated with the vast power he is not used to handle that he thinks he can get away with upturning the criminal judicial system and denouncing people for defending human rights."

"He dishes out threats of imposing martial law. He has made himself a laughing stock among legal circles. He, however, is not laughing and threatens anyone who chooses to stand in his way," the CPP added.

The communist group believes that Duterte's campaign against drugs "is bound to fail" for the administration's alleged failure to address the "socio-economic roots of the problem."

Recently, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison had an exchange with Duterte after the President withdrew the government's unilateral ceasefire with the communists.

The peace panels of the government and the communist group, however, remained optimistic that the formal talks scheduled on August 20 in Oslo, Norway will push through. —ALG, GMA News