Palace not threatened with Sison ouster call, tags him ”illusionist”

January 3, 2019

Malacanang on Thursday said they are not threatened with the plan of communist rebels to remove President Rodrigo Duterte from office, calling Communist Party of the Philippines leader Jose Maria Sison “illusionist” for his “failed rebellion”.

  “His is a failed rebellion. It’s about time that he realizes that fact that 50 years of rebellion has not borne any fruits inso far as the intention of the rebellion he has launched is concerned. In fact, the very people that he has sought to fight for are becoming their victims,” Panelo said in a press briefing.

  Panelo said rather than Sison, the government is more threatened by communist rebels fighting on the ground.

  “There is really no threat with Sison (statement).. but those on the ground who are carrying out attacks (are the threat) but the Armed Forces are ready to deal with them,” he said.

  He then compared the communist leader to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV calling them “illusionist.”

  “Just like the rebel senator, he is an illusionist, a visionary that has become illusory. I think it’s ime for him to have enlightenment,” Panelo said.

  In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Sison said the CPP-NDF-NPA’s (Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front-New People's Army) priority for 2019 is to oust Duterte.

  “The NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) is authorized to be open to peace negotiations with the current and prospective regime of the reactionary government, but its principal work now is to work for the ouster of the Duterte regime,” he said.

  Sison said the Duterte administration is not interested in peace negotiations and slammed them for telling rebels to surrender the revolutionary movement in exchange for peace talks.

  “He has issued proclamations and executive orders in order to terminate peace negotiations and further render them impossible during his rule. What he wants is the impossible, which is the surrender of the revolutionary movement of the people,” Sison said. 

  But the presidential spokesman said he cannot blame Sison if he does not know the reality happening in the country since he was exiled in the Netherlands.

  “But I don’t blame him, given the fact that he is how many thousand miles away. He’s not really in touch with reality. He does not see what’s happening in the Philippines,” Panelo said. Ella Dionisio/DMS