Sara opposes Marcos amnesty program, peace talks with Reds

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday expressed opposition to the Marcos administration’s amnesty program for several local rebel groups as well as restarting peace talks with the Maoist movement.

The joint statement between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) expressing their commitment to pursuing peace talks was an “agreement with the devil,” Ms. Duterte-Carpio said in a video statement on the 5^th anniversary of the government’s anti-communist task force, in which she serves as co-vice chair.

In their joint statement in Oslo, Norway last month, the two parties cited “serious socioeconomic and environment issues” as well as “foreign security threats” for agreeing to “a principled and peaceful resolution” of their armed conflict.

“We appeal to your power to review these proclamations and agreements,” Ms. Duterte-Carpio told Mr. Marcos in her speech at the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) anniversary.

The NDF is a coalition of Maoist revolutionary groups that represents the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), in the negotiations with the government.

“Mr. President, we can negotiate for peace and reconciliation and pursue meaningful development efforts in the Philippines without capitulating to the enemies,” the vice president continued.

She criticized two presidential proclamations that offered amnesty to members of the CPP-NPA-NDF as well as the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa – Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade.

The Maoist movement has been pushing for national industrialization and other socioeconomic reforms in its peace talks with the Philippine government.

“Ang dapat nating gawin ay ipagpatuloy ang ating mga nasimulan sa (the thing we should do is to continue what we have started in) NTF-ELCAC,” she said. “At mas palakasin pa ang mga ito (and to make it stronger).”

The NTF-ELCAC was created by her father, former president Rodrigo R. Duterte, through a 2018 executive order.

The 2016 peace talks between the government and the NDF under the Duterte administration did not last long, with the state and rebels accusing each other of ceasefire violations.