THE government called off backchannel talks with communist rebels Wednesday after members of the New People’s Army attacked President Rodrigo Duterte’s security detail in North Cotabato, wounding five soldiers.
“I am announcing the cancellation of backchannel talks with the CPP/NPA/NDF originally set within the next few days in Europe due to recent developments involving attacks done by the NPAs,” said Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza.
“The situation on the ground necessary to provide the desired enabling environment for the conduct of peace negotiations are still not present up to this time,” he added.
Dureza earlier said that Duterte approved backchannel talks after meeting with some leftist leaders and the government peace panel Tuesday night in Malacañang.
But early Wednesday, NPA rebels fired upon a two-vehicle convoy bringing along 10 members of the Presidential Security Group en route to Cagayan de Oro City at a fake checkpoint placed by rebels, PSG spokesman Col. Mike Aquino said.
Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, deputy commander of the Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command said there were no fatalities on the side of the PSG men but five men were wounded in the ensuing firefight.
“There were men saying they were with Task Force Davao conducting a spot checkpoint. We know that this move is used by the NPA—pretending they are soldiers,” Aquino said.
NPA rebels posed as members of Task Force Davao and were wearing military uniforms when they were spotted at the tri-boundary of Arakan-Bukidnon-Davao del Norte, the PSG spokesperson said.
“When our second vehicle noticed that they were not real soldiers, our troops opened fire on them until it became an encounter,” he added.
In his meeting with members of the government peace panel, led by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III late Tuesday night, Duterte ordered for a suspension of the fifth round of talks with the communists, which would supposedly resume by August.
“During their meeting held at Malacañang Palace, the President directed the government panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines [NDFP] not to resume formal peace talks unless the Reds agree to stop their attacks against government troops in Mindanao,” the Palace said in a statement Wednesday morning.
Dureza said the resumption of formal talks would depend on the rebel group’s commitment to follow certain guidelines for a possible ceasefire deal with government—including the suspension of operations against the military and the police and stopping all their extortion activities.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella urged the Communist Party of the Philippines and NPA rebels to fight on the side of the government against terrorists, despite Duterte’s call for martial law extension.
“To show that the CPP/NPA/[NDFP] is truly in pursuit of peaceful coexistence, they must stand against a common enemy, regardless of martial law extension,” Abella said.
“It is time for the CPP/NPA/NDFP to reciprocate the [government’s] gestures of goodwill by ending their extortion and criminal activities and re-directing their energy to help eradicate terrorism and violent extremism in Mindanao,” he added.
The CPP earlier urged the NPA to continue to strengthen itself nationwide by “carrying out armed counter-actions and offensives across the country” in opposition to Duterte’s plan to extend martial law in Mindanao up to Dec. 31, saying it will lead to more human rights abuses.
“This will result in worse military and police abuses,” the CPP said. “It will prolong the restrictions against civil and political freedom and aggravate violations of people’s democratic rights.”
The latest communist attack came as government forces on Mindanao fought Islamic State group-inspired militants who have been holed up in Marawi since May 23.
The communist party, which is waging Asia’s longest-running insurgency, called on its armed wing on Tuesday to launch offensives in response to Duterte’s plan to put Mindanao under martial law until the end of the year.
A 60-day martial rule is now in force on Mindanao as part of the military campaign in Marawi, but the Duterte administration said Tuesday it needed more time to accomplish the mission.
The communist insurgency that began in 1968 and which the military says is now mostly waged in Mindanao has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.
The rebels have been in off-and-on peace talks with the government since Duterte, a self-described socialist, was elected last year.
Both sides declared unilateral ceasefires, but these did not last.
In a separate incident, NPA rebels shot dead 2 Marines at close range while they were at a market in Roxas town in Palawan.
Capt Cheryl Tindog, spokesperson of the AFP’s Western Command based in Puerto Princesa, said the two unarmed Marine personnel who were in civilian attire were at a wet market in Bgy. Magara, Roxas town when suspected NPA members shot at the soldiers.
“They were not in uniform, they were unarmed,” Tindog said. With AFP