Communist Party of the Philippines
February 28, 2012

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today issued the following statement belying reports that its founding chair Jose Ma. Sison is in the Philippines:

Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and Chief Political Consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), remains in his residence in Utrecht, The Netherlands. So-called intelligence reports claiming that he has slipped into to the Philippines are utterly lacking in intelligence. It simply took a phone call by DZRH’s Joe Taruc yesterday morning to verify that Joema has not left Utrecht.

Absurd reports of Joema’s return to the Philippines are being circulated by the anti-communist dullard Pastor Alcover and so-called intelligence personnel of the AFP. Alcover is working with right-wing zealots such as Norberto Gonzales, Roberto Intengan and other pro-Arroyo reactionaries to conjure the illusion that Benigno Aquino III has “sided with the communists.” They are also seeking the attention of their US masters by projecting themselves as the more reliable puppets.

The fact, however, is that there is no peace agreement with the Aquino regime, and the possibility of forging one remains dim. The Aquino regime has set itself solidly behind the US imperialists and against the Filipino people’s national and democratic interests. Aquino is emboldened by US military support and has chosen to heed American advice to treat peace negotiations as a simple psywar tool to camouflage the brutality of its ongoing military campaign of suppression dubbed Oplan Bayanihan. With US support, the Aquino regime has chosen to keep NDFP peace consultants in detention in violation of standing agreements and continue committing gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

The CPP and the NDFP have repeatedy offered to forge an agreement based on the principles of national sovereignty, democracy and social justice. The Aquino regime, however, has chosen to disregard such proposals and has placed itself squarely against the people and their revolutionary cause of national and social liberation.