Ka Leody says armed struggle to persist without social justice

Presidential aspirant and labor leader Leody de Guzman on Tuesday said armed struggle in the country will continue if the government will not address societal injustices.

But three other candidates who attended the SMNI Presidential Debate 2022 — former presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, former national security adviser Norberto Gonzales and former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. — rejected bearing arms and said communist rebels should be considered "enemies."

"Ayaw natin ng armadong pakikibaka pero... 'yong hustisya sa ating bansa ay hustisya lamang para sa mga mayayaman, mangyayari talaga ang pakikibaka at hahantong hanggang sa armadong pakikipaglaban," De Guzman said.

He said some people will not resort to armed struggle if the root causes of the problems, which he said were livelihood, education, justice systems, among others, will be addressed.

"Umaabot sa ganon dahil 'yong kasaysayan ng ating bansa ay puro panunupil at gumagamit ng dahas, pumapatay. Panahon ni (Ferdinand) Marcos, panahon ni (Rodrigo) Duterte, Gloria (Arroyo), ang daming pinatay kaya ang mga tao ano gagawin para pagtanggol sarili?" he added.

Marcos rejected armed struggle, saying the government must defend itself against groups that try to bring it down.

"Ang unang responsibilidad ng kahit sinong elected official is to defend the Constitution of the Philippines and that includes the defense of our people and the public kaya kung mayroong lumalaban, gustong pabagsakin ang gobyerno ay kailangang depensahan ng estado ang sarili niya at ang kapakanan ng taong bayan," he said.

Marcos then said he cannot agree with the ideology involving armed struggle.

"To change the government by violent means is rebellion at hindi natin puwede pabayaan 'yan," he said.

Abella said the terrorist tag on the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army, means they are not allies of the state, but he stressed that their grievances should not simply be ignored.

Gonzales said armed insurgency should come to an end, and conflicts should be settled through peaceful means.

Peace talks

All four candidates agreed that talks should continue that would pave the way for peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“Umpisahan dapat ito sa honest-to-goodness na intensyon, hindi peace talks na inuuto lang natin ang ating kausap,” De Guzman said.

For Gonzales, violence should be the means towards peace.

“Hindi na uso ang dahas, kailangan ng pag-uusap na tama,” he said.

Abella stressed that localized negotiations with insurgents should continue.  He added that the government must also be true to its promises to the rebels.

“Dapat matupad ang pangako,” he said.

As for Marcos, he said, “Kailangan ipagpatuloy ang peace talks dahil nandyan pa ang problema.”

He said he is in favor of expanding the reach of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict all over the country, citing that many rebels have laid down arms and returned to the fold of the law through this program.

Four other presidential candidates —Isko Moreno, Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Leni Robredo —did not attend the debate citing various reasons.

The debate was organized by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy's Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).—LDF, GMA News