Stop senseless fighting

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippine government has urged communist rebels anew to end senseless fighting and take advantage of the amnesty program being offered by the Marcos administration.

Marcos, in his second State of the Nation Address, even highlighted the government’s initiatives in providing community development and livelihood assistance in the reintegration process of the rebel returnees to guarantee full decommissioning of combatants.

Director Jose Descallar, of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) also called on communist insurgents still fighting the government to lay down their weapon, seize the opportunity being offered by the government for a new life, and help build a peaceful and progressive society.

He said the 55 years of communist rebellion only brought hardship, misery and death to the people as the rebels fight for an ideology that is irrelevant already.

“Nagsasayang ang ating ekonomiya, maraming magulang, maraming pamilya ang nasira, naantala ang ating pag-unlad. Ang komunismo tinakwil na ho ng mundo. It is a failed social experiment. It did not work in the Soviet bloc, China took the… it’s a failed social experiment wala nang saysay po ang komunismo,” Descallar said.

“Nandito po ang ating pamahalaan. Nandito po ang ating mga mamamayan. Nandito po ang mga pamilyang Pilipino na sana bitawan ninyo na iyong mga armas. Sumama kayo sa pagtatayo ng isang mapayapa, matatag, maginhawang bayang Pilipinas, isang bagong Pilipinas na kung saan tayong lahat nagkakaisa, nagtutulungan para ibangon ang ating bayan,” he added.

Citing available data, the NTF-ELCAC said there are only 20 guerilla fronts in existence after the government successfully dismantled 69 fronts in the past four and a half years.

“Of the 20 guerilla fronts, 19 ang weakened guerilla fronts and only one remain to be dismantled in Northern Samar. So, kapag sinabi nating strategic victory, ito na iyong 19 weakened guerilla fronts and isa na lang na kinukompronta ng AFP,” Descallar said.

The rebels have been fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state and previous peace talks with various administrations had failed miserably after communist leaders insisted on freeing all jailed fighters across the country and sharing government power. (Mindanao Examiner)