(Eagle News) — The Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives has urged a probe into the government’s list of supposed terrorists who are alleged members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
The left-leaning group said the House Committee on Human Rights, through Resolution 1807, should also condemn the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) list that was attached to the government petition seeking to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization, and which was submitted to a Manila court in February.
Among the 657 on the list were Bayan Muna President and former Rep. Satur Ocampo, Bayan Muna officer Vicente Ladlad, and Anakpawis party-list chairman Randall Echanis and former SELDA officer Eliza Lubi.
According to the resolution, their rights and those of the others included on the list were being violated.
“A House probe on the supposed terror list can recommend that road blocks to the negotiations be removed,” Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate, a member of the Makabayan bloc, said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has recently directed government officials to “work on the resumption” of peace talks after declaring the same terminated last year.
He, however, said communist rebels should stop collecting money, should confine themselves in camps and agree to a ceasefire before this can take place.
