Duterte wants to refocus military operation vs NPA after Marawi crisis

July 21, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte said after the Marawi crisis, the military would refocus its operation against the New People's Army. In a visit to the government troopers in Marawi City on Thursday, Duterte said he did not want to talk to the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front anymore because they continue to commit atrocities. "After this (Marawi problem), when those fools (terrorists)  are already neutralized, let's re-orient, NPA next because they are heavily indebted to me. I don't want to talk to them anymore," Duterte said. Duterte's Cabinet officials, however, said what was only cancelled was the supposed back channel talks with the NDF and not the peace process. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon clarified Duterte only wants to address the threat brought by the leftist rebels. He cited that the NPA rebels were recently engaged in different attacks, such as in some plantations in Mindanao and in Quezon province where they torched some heavy equipment and destroyed duck eggs of a small businessman when he did not heed to the rebels' extortion. He noted the recent NPA attack to the members of the Presidential Security Group in Arakan, North Cotabato where at least five government troopers were hurt. With all the NPA's activities, Esperon said as much as the president wants to continue to talk with the rebels, "there is really a basis for him to think if there is a need to continue with the talks, isn't it?" Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, in a text message to reporters, said he did not want to interpret what Duterte has said regarding his statement he did not want to talk to the rebels. "Take his exact statement as is...let's not interpret. I have not heard him say categorically 'talks over or terminated'. Did he? What is clear now is that the scheduled back channel meeting to work on possible resumption of suspended 5th round was cancelled. If there will a new officially announced position, then let's all wait for a categorical statement coming from the President no less," he said. The fifth round of talks scheduled on May 27 to June 1 were suspended after the CPP leadership ordered the rebel fighters to intensify attacks against government troops after Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao due to the Marawi crisis. The government security forces have been pursuing the Islamic State-linked Maute Terror Group members who started occupying Marawi on May 23. Esperon also expressed support on the move of the Office of the Solicitor General to cancel the bail bond of the rebel consultants and leaders, including couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, chairman and secretary general of the CPP, since the peace negotiation has not been moving. "If there are no peace talks, they should go back (to jail) because we are the one who find way (for their temporary liberty)," he said. Some 20 NDF consultants who were in detention were allowed to post bail prior to the resumption of the peace talks in August last year, the first formal meeting under the Duterte administration. (Celerina Monte/DMS)