“Ang aking diskarte ay tutugunin ko lahat ng demands ng mga New People’s Army na nakasulat sa kanilang dokumento. Nabasa ko lahat, napakamatarungan naman, ‘yung kahilingan sa tunay na reporma sa lupa,” he said during the forum hosted by the Kapisanan ng Broadkaster ng Pilipinas.
[Translation: I would address the demands written on the document of the New People’s Army. I’ve read it and their wish for genuine land reform is just.]
De Guzman vowed to genuinely implement the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform, saying previous administrations have failed to do so.
Moreover, the labor leader also noted that the ongoing insurgency in the countryside could also be caused by the prevailing injustice in the country.
“Kapag mayaman ka, ligtas ka. Kapag ikaw ay mahirap, tulad ni Lolo Nanding, kulong ka. Hangga’t ganyan ang husistya sa atin, hindi talaga mapipigil ang paglaban ng mga tao at pagabot sa paghawak ng armas,” said De Guzman.
[Translation: If you are rich, you can get away with things. If you are poor like Lolo Nanding, you will end up in jail. As long as our justice system remains that way, rebels will continue to fight and reach for firearms.]
The communist insurgency in the country has been raging for over five decades and is one of Asia’s longest-running rebellions. The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has abandoned peace talks in 2017, as both parties accused each other of ceasefire violation.
De Guzman believes communist rebels will lay down their arms once their demands are met. He noted that the rebellion is due to a “historical problem” that remains unsolved.
“Kaya sa tingin ko kapag natugunan natin yung kanilang kahilingan, mauubusan ng dahilan ang mga NPA na maghawak pa ng armas. Dahil naniniwala ako na humahawak sila ng armas, hindi naman sa dahil natutuwa lang sila humawak ng armas, kundi dahil may malalim silang pinaglalaban na problema ng ating lipunan,” he said.
[Translation: I believe that the NPA will no longer find any reason to bears arms if we address their demands. I believe that they are carrying firearms not because they simply want to, but they are fighting against a problem in society.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 4) — Presidential aspirant and labor leader Leody De Guzman said that he would listen to the demands of the New People’s Army, specifically on land reform and injustice, to end the communist insurgency if ever elected.
