Interview from Holland with Prof. Jose Maria Sison, NDFP Chief Political Consultant
By Ma. Teresa B. Coros
People’s Journal
19 Jun 2005
Hi sir!
Remember me, Tess Bedico, People’s Journal reporter who called you up about two or three weeks ago from Hilversum where I was one of the fellows in an RNTC training for journalists.
Anyways, I called you up today to ask for a little interview before I leave for the Philippines, but unfortunately you were out.
I hope to hear from you through the e-mail though, I hope you will have time to answer a few questions.
I just want to ask if how recent political developments in the country would affect the peace talks?
JMS: The Arroyo regime is now in the process of collapsing. Indeed, it is difficult to negotiate with such a regime. The NDFP might simply have to wait for the next administration of the GRP.
Tess: Are you joining calls for GMA to address the issue about the tapes? what’s your view about malacanang and GMA’s silence on the issue?
JMS: The revolutionary forces of the NDFP were by several years ahead of other forces in calling for the overthrow of the Arroyo regime. Please review the issues of the CPP’s Ang Bayan and NDFP Liberation in www.prwc.com
Now, the tapes have triggered the nationwide outrage over the 2004 electoral fraud and popular demand for the ouster of the regime. BAYAN and other legal democratic forces are well ahead of the imperialist-funded and government-funded NGOs in demanding the resignation or ouster of the regime. The regime can best address the issue about the tapes by resigning. Either admitting, denying or going silent about the role of GMA in the tapes will damn the regime. The ISAFP tapes are like the Nixon tapes. They are tapes of conversations of government officials GMA, Garcillano and others) talking about a public matter (elections) and are recorded by a government agency. Only a nincompoop can invoke the right to privacy of communications in this issue.
Tess: What about calls for GMA’s resignation by the civil society?
JMS: The NGOs and people’s organizations like BAYAN, KMU, KMP, Gabriela, Anakbayan, LFS and others which have not been corrupted by the imperialists and the Arroyo regime are in the forefront demanding the ouster or resignation of the Arroyo regime. But those NGOs corrupted by the imperialists and by the Arroyo regime are still clinging to the Arroyo regime and belatedly maneuvering to defuse the issue about the tapes. I refer to the NGOs which are associated with Teresita Deles, Norberto Gonzales, Dinky Soliman, Riza Baraquel and the like. These are the elements collaborating with the military in sabotaging the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations.
Tess: Thanks a lot and it was nice meeting you in Holland (though over the phone lang po)
Please keep me posted on developments on the peace talks
Tess
