THE National Security Council (NSC) does not see peace negotiations happening soon between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) because of lingering misunderstandings and disagreements.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the communist side could not even compromise on some of the provisions in the Joint communique they signed with the government in November 2023, particularly the call to detach from the armed struggle.
“There are objections, resistance from the local level. That’s what is needed to be resolved by the other side. While they can’t resolve their disagreement over whether or not to renounce the armed struggle, nothing will come out of any talks just like in previous negotiations,” Año said during a recent dinner-dialogue hosted by the NSC for the media.
“Why would we start discussions when the other side can’t even agree amongst themselves?” he said.
The communiqué, signed in Oslo, Norway, on November 23, was meant to fashion out a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict” in the country that has spanned decades.
It also aims to get to the root of the conflict and end the armed struggle that will pave the way for the transformation of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Año, however, lamented how the leftist groups do not match words with action.
“They want a ceasefire, but what that really means is that they want the government to ‘cease’ while they continue to ‘fire.’ They continue to violate conditions of the ceasefire,” he said.
“If they don’t accept the offer, I think they will be overtaken by time. They will become irrelevant. We will continue with our initiatives to end insurgency until they have no choice but to accept the terms. If they really want a peaceful resolution, they really have to give up the armed movement,” Año said.
While no general peace talks are in the offing, the government, through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, will continue doing local peace engagements to ensure weakened guerrilla fronts will no longer have the capacity to resurrect and reload, he said.
“We will continue to deliver services; we will continue to pursue unity, peace and development. We should finish the armed groups,” Año said.
“First and foremost, we must ensure we can prevent their recruitment and make them give up the armed struggle,” he said.
Año said the government was not closing the door to negotiations.
“If at any time they say, ‘We renounce the armed struggle; we’re ready to talk; let’s fix this,’ we are ready for that,” he said.
Until then, the government’s defense and security clusters would continue to consult with different sectors to get a better strategize the peace process at the local level, he said.
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