DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Southern Mindanao denounced Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s statement calling on the national government to exclude Davao City from the Duterte administration’s ceasefire declaration and the forthcoming resumption of peace negotiations with the NDFP.
Rubi del Mundo, spokesperson of NDFP-SMR, said that Duterte-Carpio towed the “militarist and extreme rightist line” of peace spoilers by branding the revolutionary government “terrorist” and unfit to to be faced in the negotiation table.
“She is more concerned with cheerleading (for) the militarization of Davao City by supporting the brutal operations and psywar tactics of the 16th Infantry Batallion, 89th IB and the 3rd IB of the Philippine Army, the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) intelligence operations, Task Force Davao and police forces,” she added.
Mayor Duterte-Carpio on Monday asked for the exclusion of Davao City in the ceasefire and reopening of peace talks.
The Mayor said while these efforts are commendable, it will only “disrupt and threaten” the gains of Peace 911, the local peace initiative of the city.
However, NDF-SMR described the gains of Peace 911 as merely “deodorizing” the instances of “harassment, psywar, forced and fake surrenders of civilians as NPA (New People’s Army) members and forced recruitment to paramilitary forces and Cafgu (Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit).”
He added that Duterte-Carpio displayed a tendency to rule with impunity with its opposing opinion to the national government’s recent policy statement to peace.
According to del Mundo, their forces are one with the NDFP’s national leadership in supporting the resumption of peace talks and NPA units in the region are committed to the Communist Party of the Philippines’ ceasefire order.
This despite the reports from the ground confirming the continuous combat operations despite the AFP’s declaration of ceasefire, del Mundo added.
The GRP and the NDFP declared a 16-day ceasefire from the midnight of December 23, 2019 to 11:59pn of January 7, 2020.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed Presidential Proclamation 360 formally terminating the peace talks with the NDFP in November 23, 2017.(davaotoday.com)
