NAPC’s Maza on Tiamzon couple rearrest: Don’t burn bridges, stop psy-war

National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) lead convenor Liza Maza on Thursday expressed disappointment on the motion released by the Office of the Solicitor General for the arrest of National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, following the breakdown of the peace talks.

“I think that will be very unfortunate ‘no. And it will not be a goodwill… It will not be… Kumbaga let’s not burn all our bridges,” Maza said at a press briefing in Malacañang.

“So my appeal, my personal appeal, is to stop all those attacks and let us reflect first, you know. Stop all those attacks,” she added.

Maza is one of the Left-leaning members of the Duterte administration.

Maza then brought up the alleged attack on a convoy carrying aid to victims of the Magnitude 6.7 earthquake in Surigao province. The military blamed the New People’s Army (NPA) for the incident.

“I’m not saying military, military attacks but you know all those psy-war and things like that. And reflect and see how to pursue, how to go back to the negotiating table. Because all those things will not be helpful,” she said.

Maza added that the statement by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which was backed by Malacañang, was provocative.

“Like for example, ‘yung sa Surigao ‘di ba? There was an accusation of the military that the NPA were the ones who shot at a convoy that was supposed to deliver goods to the earthquake-affected communities. But the NPA denied it. And, you know, without proof, you are saying that the NPA did it is something that is – is a provocative statement and within the realm of psywar ‘di ba?” she said.

In a statement, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella urged the NPA to engage in confidence-building activities, rather than breaking their own ceasefire while the military is conducting relief operations. — RSJ, GMA News