By Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Political Consultant
9 August 2002
The NDFP National Council is now re-examining the policy of peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and considering whether to terminate such negotiations or hold them in abeyance until the Macapagal regime is replaced by another regime willing to negotiate in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration and other agreements.
The re-examination is prompted by the following facts:
1. Even before the recent all-out war declarations of Ms Gloria Macapagal and defense secretary General Angelo Reyes, the reactionary armed forces, police and other armed personnel of the GRP have been actually carrying out all-out war against the revolutionary forces and people and have been committing gross human rights violations.
2. The Macapagal regime has long “suspended” the peace negotiations and has made clear repeatedly that it is no longer interested in negotiations, except in “back channel talks” solely intended to seek the capitulation and dismantling of the New People’s Army (NPA). The arrogant position of the regime is clearly in violation of the integrity of the revolutionary forces and people and all the solemn agreements between the GRP and NDFP.
3. The Macapagal regime has long reneged on its promise to release political prisoners. It has used the issue of releasing political prisoners as lever with regard to No. 2 above, in violation of the mutual agreement to engage in confidence-building and goodwill measures. The latest malicious act of the regime, through justice secretary Hernando Perez, is to announce publicly that the political prisoners cannot be released, unless the NDFP chief political consultant recall his analytical commentary of August 6, which the regime and he continue to misrepresent as an order to the NPA.
In view of the above facts, it is clear that the Macapagal regime is hell-bent on seeking the destruction of the revolutionary movement and has no use whatsoever for peace negotiations in accordance with The Hague Joint Declaration and other pertinent agreements. The Macapagal regime is totally servile to the US, which has already given it the order to assault the revolutionary forces and people with utmost ruthlessness.
It is up to the duly-constituted revolutionary organs of leadership in the Philippines, such as the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the National Operational Command of the NPA and National Council of the NDFP, to make the decisions and launch the actions that are expected of them for the purpose of defending the people, advancing their national and democratic rights and interests, thwarting the all-out war policy of the enemy and defeating and punishing those who oppress and exploit the people. #
