Religious leaders ask Duterte to rescind terror tag on CPP-NPA

Religious leaders on Friday called on President Rodrigo Duterte to rescind his proclamation declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, as terror organizations.

The Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform (PEPP) also appealed to both the government panel and National Democratic Front to return to the negotiating table and declare a ceasefire during the holidays.

“We thus call on President Duterte to rescind both proclamations and we implore both the GRP and the NDFP to return to the negotiating table – to talk peace instead of waging war. We also call on both parties to declare and observe the yearly Christmas ceasefire,” it said in a press statement.

“As we approach the day of birth of Jesus Christ, the bearer of hope, let us all pray and work for a just and enduring peace, starting on the call to resume the government and NDF peace talks,” it added.

In announcing Duterte’s decision, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday: “It’s a proclamation declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army as a designated, identified terrorist organization under R.A. No. 10168,” 

“So as the President has stated before, he has finally classified the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization within the purview of the Human Security Act,” he added.

Republic Act No. 10168 is the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

Tragic

But the PEPP, a platform for five church institutions in working for a just and enduring peace by supporting the peace process between the government and NDF, called the issuance of the proclamation as very tragic.

“This new development is indeed very tragic as there were high hopes a year ago that peace will be achieved through the negotiations between the government panel and the National Democratic Front after five decades of armed conflict,” it said.

It said the proclamation signed by the President will have far reaching and adverse repercussions on the peace negotiations.

“It is always the policy of the government not to negotiate with “terrorists” and this will seal the fate of the peace talks. As leaders of churches in the country, we are troubled by this announcement and the escalation of violence that will surely ensue,” it said.

It said abandoning principled dialogue and relying on purely military might will be very costly, both in terms of lives and resources.

“A militarist approach will only fan the flames of the conflict instead of truly addressing it,” it added.

PEPP is composed of Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro City, co-chairperson; Rev. Fr. Rex Reyes, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, co-chairperson; Bishop Noel Pantoja, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, national president; Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, Ecumenical Bishops Forum, PEPP Head of the Secretariat; and Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News