Gov’t all set for peace talks with NPA

By ELENA L. ABEN
January 31, 2010, 4:00pm

National Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales has declared that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had done “more than enough” military action to finish the communist armed rebellion and the government is now ready to start the final phase of ending the decades-long problem of insurgency in the country through direct peace negotiations with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the grassroots level.

In an interview, Gonzales said in terms of military action, the AFP has almost fulfilled its task in the campaign against insurgency, having done more than enough particularly in the neutralization of guerrilla fronts.

The secretary said while there may still be a few active guerrilla fronts like those in some parts of Northern and Southern Luzon, the government nonetheless is now ready to start with its closing strategy to meet the President’s directive of ending the communist insurgency by 2010.

“This (final phase) will be more political than military,” said Gonzales, as he noted that the “the enemy has steadily declined in strength and capabilities.”

Data gathered from the AFP show that communist insurgency in the country reached its peak in 1987 with a strength of 25,200. The number, however, gradually decreased by 16.1 percent annually from 1987 to 1995 when the number of communist rebels was lowered to 6,020.

However, there was a slight increase from 1995 to 2001 when the rebels’ strength went up to 11,930. But from 2002 onwards, the number of communist rebels continued to go down, with less than 5,000 left as of end of 2009.

“What is needed now is to start the process of concluding the campaign,” Gonzales said. The government has set June 30, 2010 as deadline for ending the insurgency.

The defense chief made the pronouncement in his visit to the Northern Luzon Command in Camp Aquino, Tarlac City. It was a repeat of his pronouncement last week in his visit to the Southern Luzon Command in Camp Nakar, Lucena City.

Gonzales outlined his “endgame strategy” for finishing the insurgency which he described as “more political than military.”

According to Gonzales, the key element of his strategy is bringing together the faith communities, major civic organizations, government bureaucracies and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to work with the AFP in the advocacy of peace and development and in winning over the rebels to the fold of the law.

The strategy would also involve conducting massive “peace talks at the grassroots level” and enhancing and expanding government’s social integration program for rebel returnees. Continued military action would be focused on “remaining hot spots” and intensified legal offensives would be waged against the hard-line rebels and their communist leaders.

“Kailangan nang buuin ang lahat ng elemento ng lipunan na makakatulong ng Armed Forces laban dito sa armed rebellion. At medyo binibigyan ko ng bagong direction ang peace process sa communist movement,” said Gonzales.

He noted in the past years, the peace negotiations have always been focused in the peace talks with the communist leader, Jose Maria Sison at the Ultretcht.

“Unang-una ang mga nangyari ngayon ay hindi na yata si Joma ang chairman ng CPP-NPA. Mukhang nagkakaroon ngayon ng away-away sa loob ng communist movement. Ang sinasabi ko dahil kakaunti na lang naman na ang natitira sa mga communist rebels, ang gusto ko sana ay simulan na ang massive negotiation na deretsuhan na, hindi lamang sa Ultrecht tayo makikipag-usap,” he said.

“Magagalit si Joma diyan, bahala na siyang magalit,” he added.
Gonzales said what is important is for the government to address the issues being raised by the remaining communist insurgents such as livelihood.