AFP: No threats from Reds seen with Joma Sison’s death

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Sunday that it does not currently see any problems coming from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) with the passing of its founding chairman Jose Maria "Joma" Sison.

AFP acting spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar made the remark when asked in a Super Radyo dzBB interview if there is anything the government forces should be wary about concerning the CPP-New People's Army (NPA).

“Sa ngayon, wala naman kaming nakikitang problema or pangamba dahil sa pagkamatay ni Joma,” he said.

(Right now, we don’t see any problem or concern because of Joma’s death.)

“In fact, tuloy-tuloy ‘yung pagbaba ng bilang ng kanilang mga kasapi at saka mga supporters. Patuloy din na bumabalik loob ‘yung kanilang mga armadong… ‘yung mga combatants nila tsaka ‘yung mga supporters nila, ‘yung mass bases and even some members of the underground mass organizations. Ito ay magandang indication,” he added.

(In fact, the number of their members and supporters continues to decrease. Their armed men, their combatants and supporters, the mass bases and even some members of the underground mass organizations, continue to surrender. This is a good indication.)

Aguilar also stressed that Sison’s death may help bring more peace in the country even as the government continues its peace talks on a community level.

The Department of National Defense said on Saturday that with Sison’s death, the “greatest stumbling block of peace is gone.”

Sison, who had been in self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987, passed away on December 16 at around 8:40 p.m. (Philippine time) after two weeks of confinement in the hospital, CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said on Saturday.

The CPP said it would await the arrival of Sison's remains or ashes in the Philippines and did not rule out tactical offensives during the mourning period.

The party, along with its armed wing NPA and political arm National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), has been waging an insurgency rebellion against the Philippine government for over five decades.

PNP

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Sunday said he regrets Sison would not be able to face any trial for the “violent years he had done” to the country.

“Kahit paano tayo ay nakikiramay sa pagpanaw ng leader ng CPP na si Joma Sison. Sayang nga lang at hindi na niya na masisilayan ang mga trial sana na kanyang haharapin sa mga napakaraming taon na bayolente na insidente, paghahasik ng lagim kung saan more than 50,000 ang namatay o pinatay,” he said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(We mourn the passing of CPP leader Joma Sison. It's unfortunate that he won't be able to witness the trial that he would have faced for the many years of violent incidents, sowing terror in which over 50,000 died or were killed.)

“Sayang nga lang hindi niya masisilayan kung siya ay nagkasala o kaya niyang idepense ang sarili. Sana huwag na silang manggulo (CPP-NPA). Sana this time, tutal wala na si Joma Sison, 'yung mga napaniwala niya sa mahabang panahon, sana magkaisa na tayo at bumaba na sila sa gobyerno para masimulan natin ang maayos at pagpapaunlad ng ating bansa,” he added.

(It's unfortunate he could not see whether he's guilty or whether he can defend himself. I hope that they [CPP-NPA] will not create any more troubles. I hope, now that Joma Sison is gone, those who believed in him for a long time will be united and step down from the government so that we can begin to restore order and development to our country.)

Asked if the PNP will declare a ceasefire against the communist rebels this Christmas season, Azurin said there was no order yet on the suspension of police and military operations (SOPO and SOMO).

“Kahit walang SOPO at SOMO, sana magkusa ang mga NPA na huwag nang gumawa ng kaguluhan ngayong Pasko at Bagong Taon,” the PNP official added.

(Even without SOPO and SOMO, I hope members of the NPA will take the initiative not to make trouble this Christmas and New Year.)

For his part, presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation and unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. expressed hope that Sison’s death would put an end to the local communist armed conflict in the country.

“Under the Marcos administration's banner of unity, the government shall vigorously carry out interventions in order to sustain and build on the gains we have achieved under the peace process,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

“We, therefore, once again call upon the remaining members of the communist movement across the nation to abandon armed struggle, return to the fold of the law, and rejoin mainstream society,” he continued.

Galvez also called on members of the CPP to make use of the socio-economic assistance that the national government provides to former rebels under its local peace engagement and transformation programs. —KG/BM, GMA Integrated News