Government’s all-out-war means total war vs unarmed activists and freedom fighters
– fisherfolk group
Manila, Philippines – The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) on Wednesday assailed President Rodrigo Duterte’s all-out-war declaration against the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed-wing New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) for according to them, this is equivalent to a total war against unarmed activists and rights advocates fighting for the welfare and basic rights of the marginalized people.
President Duterte’s declaration of an all out war was part of his series of tantrums after he lifted its own unilateral ceasefire declaration against the revolutionary rebels followed by complete termination of the ongoing peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the communist National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
In a statement, PAMALAKAYA lambasted the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Eduardo Año and the Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for working hand in glove to derail the peace talks. The two high-ranking AFP Generals are the partners in crime behind the cessation of the peace negotiation that could have been achieve prosperous developments that are deemed helpful to the Filipino people in the process.
“Año, Lorenana and their ilk in the military have always wanted to resort to fascist and total war approach in rooting out the cause of the civil war in the country. These bloodthirsty high-ranking military officials have long been gearing and stirring up for unjust total war to suppress the people’s just struggle,”
“The government’s immoral and insane all-out-war can never be a key to achieve lasting peace and order in this land but it will generate more human rights violations against innocent civilians committed by the state forces with impunity,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA Chairperson said in a statement.
Pamalakaya said President Duterte should rethink twice because listening to his anti-people and warmonger AFP Generals means turning away from the Filipino people who eagerly await his promised change. President Duterte’s pursuance of the total-war pattern that his predecessors had taken will lead to bloodshed.
The fisherfolk group also slammed the termination of the Joint Agreement on the Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) which was signed by both parties on 1995 to ensure the safety and security of NDFP Consultants that are directly involved in the peace negotiations.
“President Duterte gradually takes the path of fascism. This is a clear neglect to the just demands of the Filipino people who expect for a genuine change under President Duterte through social, economic and political reforms,” Hicap ended. ###
