MANILA, Philippines鈥擝ack to war with communist rebels.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday (April 30) welcomed the announcement by President Rodrigo Duterte of the scrapping of peace talks with the rebels, saying the negotiations were futile.
鈥淚t is indeed the apex of futility to continue the talks for peace with a terrorist group like the CPP-NPA-NDF,鈥� said a statement by AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo.
He said 鈥渋llegally armed members鈥� of Communist Party of the Philippines, New People鈥檚 Army and National Democratic Front of the Philippines 鈥渃ontinue to oppress the needy, kill their community and tribal leaders and senselessly kill soldiers who help the poor receive vital government support.鈥�
鈥淲orse,鈥� Arevalo said, rebels 鈥渞ob the indigents of relief package at this time of COVID-19 crisis.鈥�
Duterte said early this week that he will no longer resume peace talks after the NPA attacked government COVID-19 relief missions.
鈥淭here is no more peace talks to talk about. I am not and I will never be ready for any round of talks, simply because the NPA, the CPP, has no respect either for their spoken words or in their deeds of killing soldiers who are on humanitarian missions,鈥� he said in a public address on Monday.
Arevalo said the CPP-NPA 鈥渉ave never been sincere in talking peace with the government.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 time to end the CPP-NPA鈥檚 more than 50 years of sowing havoc in the country and depriving the people their taste of peace and development,鈥� he said.
The AFP spokesperson also cited recent reports from military units that communist rebels had committed at least 17 violations of their own truce.
The truce violations, Arevalo said, 鈥渙nly show clearly their callousness.鈥�
He said rebels were unmoved by 鈥渢he sufferings of our people鈥� and their 鈥渄esperate attempts to derail government assistance鈥� were proof of this.
Arevalo said rebels even had the gall to accuse the Duterte administration of 鈥渋nept, incompassionate and irresponsible actions in the face of the pandemic.鈥�
Arevalo also rejected accusations that the pandemic is being used to 鈥減erpetuate martial rule.鈥�
鈥淭he citizenry knows only too well that the AFP has been open and very supportive of all government鈥檚 efforts that seek to achieve lasting peace and promote development,鈥� he said.