(Eagle News)– Malacañang on Wednesday (July 19) dared the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), to fight on the side of the government against terrorists, if it really wants to pursue peace.
“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,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
Abella added that ““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”.
The call came the same day when at least four personnel of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were wounded in a clash with NPA guerrillas in Arakan town, Cotabato province, and a day after President Rodrigo Duterte instructed the government peace panel not to resume negotiations with communists until the rebels stop their attacks on government troops in Mindanao.
The fifth round of talks was put on hold in May after the government panel withdrew because of the CPP’s call for the NPA to intensify its attacks amid the martial law declaration in Mindanao.
Labor Secretary and government peace panel chief negotiator Silvestre Bello II earlier announced that the fifth round of talks with the communists would resume in August.