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[av_heading heading=’ Insurgents ‘insincere,’ says Duterte ‘ 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
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Sunday, November 26, 2017
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MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte criticized the Communist Party of the Philippines for failing to “show sincerity” in peace negotiations by continuing hostilities against government forces.
In Proclamation No. 360, which he signed late on Nov. 23, Duterte officially terminated the peace negotiations with the CPP and its armed wing and diplomatic arm, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front, respectively.
“In spite of the best efforts exerted by this administration, the NDF-CPP-NPA failed to show its sincerity and commitment in pursuing genuine and meaningful peace negotiations as it engaged in acts of violence and hostilities, endangering the lives and properties of innocent people,” read part of the proclamation.
Duterte has directed the government peace panel “to cancel peace talks and meetings with the NDF-CPP-NPA,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.
“While we agreed to resume peace talks with the aforementioned group and exerted our best efforts to accelerate the signing and implementation of the final peace agreement, the NDF-CPP-NPA has engaged in acts of violence and hostilities,” said Roque.
Last week Duterte threatened to classify the NPA as a “terrorist group” after an infant was killed in an ambush in Bukidnon.
Violent attacks led by communist rebels showed their “lack of commitment” to the peace talks, said the spokesman.
“The President, as we all know, has always wanted to leave a legacy of peace under his administration. He has, in fact, walked the extra mile for peace,” Roque said.
“Rest assured that [Duterte] will continuously pray that we may all find the peace that we seek for our beloved country in the fullness of God’s time,” he added.
Meanwhile CPP founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison called Duterte the “No. 1 terrorist” in the Philippines.
Citing the killings related to the government’s war on drugs, Sison said Duterte’s “bloodlust and mania for mass murder are boundless.”
“He is culpable for the abduction, torture and mass murder of an increasing large number of poor people suspected as drug users and pushers, peasants and indigenous people in suspected guerrilla fronts, and Moro people suspected of aiding the Dawlah Islamiyah from the time of the indiscriminate bombing of Marawi City to the present in several Bangsamoro areas,” said Sison.
Duterte’s threat to classify NPA fighters as terrorists was “malicious and shameless,” the NDF chief political consultant said.
“The Filipino people and revolutionary forces waging the people’s democratic revolution have no choice but to intensify the people’s war through extensive and intensive guerrilla warfare in rural areas and partisan or commando operations in urban areas,” said Sison./PN
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