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[av_heading heading=’ Du30 mulls terrorist tag on NPA ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ and PNA
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte considers classifying the New People’s Army (NPA) as a terrorist group, and he has the support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and several senators.
“We will consider them terrorists, ordinary brigands and no more about principles there,” Duterte told reporters during the launch of an Agriculture department project in Davao City on Saturday.
His pronouncement came after the death of a four-month-old baby and two other civilians in an ambush in Bukidnon on Nov. 9.
Duterte also considers removing from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) the identity of a “legal entity or semi-revolutionary movement.” The NPA is the armed wing of the CPP.
“You are not fighting for any principle. My God, killing a four-year-old infant?” the President said, adding that he will issue a proclamation categorizing the NPA as terrorists.
“You know, that is an intentional act. It is not an accident. ’Wag mong sabihin ’di mo alam ’yan na may disgrasya ’yang bata namatay,” he said.
The government will file murder and arson, among other charges, against them “because I would consider them criminals already,” Duterte said.
“You are responsible for all the unintended and intended victims. There is pure malice. There (is) criminal intent. That is what the law says,” he added.
The Armed Forces is supporting the idea.
“We totally agree with the commander-in-chief,” said military spokesperson Major General Restituto Padilla. “It is clearly reflected in the numerous…acts that they have been committing against defenseless and innocent civilians.”
Duterte also said he is “not any more inclined” to continue the peace talks with the CPP.
Peace negotiations have been stalled since Feb. 4 after NPA members staged a series of unprovoked attacks that killed unarmed soldiers and police officers and burned millions of pesos worth of properties.
“Beginning from now, wala nang rebellion-rebellion because rebellion is just a light offense,” said the President. “It can be bailable except for the leader.”
Padilla said the government “has done its part and negotiated with sincerity.”
At least three senators back the President’s idea.
“Only a president with Duterte’s guts can declare the NPA as terrorists, and that’s what they are for quite a long time,” said Panfilo Lacson.
“Their ideology has been gone more than a decade ago,” he added. “They burn, destroy, kill innocent civilians to terrorize. They terrorize to sow fear and harass helpless civilians. They harass to extort under the guise of revolutionary taxation.”
Gregorio Honasan II said branding the NPA as terrorists is Duterte’s “prerogative.”
“Kung iyong (United States) ay dineklara ang CPP-NPA-NDF na terrorist organization, tayo pa kaya?” Honasan said, mentioning the acronym for the National Democratic Front, the political arm of the CPP.
Vicente Sotto III was no longer surprised by Duterte’s plan.
“They (NPA) have already been declared by a regional trial court in Mindanao as such. Therefore, the President’s declaration was not far from coming,” he said./PN
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