Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25) — In the wake of arrests made against three members of the revolutionary forces, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief said communist rebels are decreasing in numbers, contrary to their leader’s claims.
Dir. General Oscar Albayalde on Monday said more members of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) are surrendering to authorities following the termination of nationwide peace talks. This contradicts CPP-NPA founder Jose Maria Sison’s statement saying their ranks are increasing.
“Napakamarami na nagsurrender sa atin. This is the very reason why nagiging maingay sa social media itong si Mr. Sison dahil nakikita niya ang gobyerno ay nagiging successful sa localized peace talks. He is trying to make himself relevant,” the police chief argued during his weekly press briefing.
[Translation: Plenty have surrendered to us. This is they very reason why Mr. Joma Sison is being noisy on social media, because he sees the government is successful in its localized peace talks. He is trying to make himself relevant.]
Albayalde said the rebel leader is making false claims to mislead his members into believing “they are still a force to be reckoned with.”
“Napakita sa mga tao o sa ibang kasamahan nila na gustong magsurrender na (They are showing the public or their members who wish to surrender that) they are still a force to be reckoned with, which is actually not true. This is a sign of surrender. This is a sign of yung pagkaliit ng kanilang pwersa (their numbers decreasing),” he said.
On Saturday, Sison posted on Facebook sarcastically thanking the President for being a catalyst in the effective recruitment of more members into the CPP-NPA due to his “tyrannical, treasonous, mass murdering, plundering and inflation-generating regime.”
“By terminating the peace negotiations, he compels the armed revolutionary movement to concentrate on intensifying the people’s war and cast away any illusion that this regime of terror and greed can negotiate social, economic and political reforms,” the rebel chief said.
A day later, the police arrested three National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultants in Laguna for multiple charges including murder and possession of illegal firearms and explosives. Sison is also the Chief Political Consultant of the NDFP.
The military said six out of 23 consultants in their watchlist have been arrested while some have submitted surrender feelers.
“This will put an end definitely to the effort ni Joma Sison na ibalik ‘yung national-level peace talks dahil mas pabor ang mga members nila and local ground commanders nila, sa local peace talks. Yun ang trend ngayon,” Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, said.
[Translation: This will put an end definitely to the effort of Joma Sison to push for national-level peace talks again because his members and local ground commanders are in favor of local peace talks. That is the trend now.]
President Rodrigo Duterte called off nationwide peace talks in November 2017 and has instead pushed localized versions of these negotiations. The CPP, meanwhile, said they will never participate in localized peace talks. The CPP-NPA has waged a five-decade insurgency, the longest-running in Asia.
