President Rodrigo Duterte has stopped any peace talks with communist insurgents after members of the New People’s Army killed two government soldiers in Aurora province while guarding the distribution of aid to COVID-19 affected communities.
President Duterte said the Communist Party of the Philippines “does not respect” its own pledge to carry out a ceasefire.
Duterte, in a televised address Tuesday night, said: “There is no more peace talks to talk about. I am not and I will never be ready for any round of talks.
“[This is because] the NPA guerrillas, [armed wing of the] Communist Party of the Philippines, have no respect either for their spoken words or in their deeds of killing soldiers who are on humanitarian missions.
The President’s action coincided with reports from Tarlac that Air Force troops from the Special Operations Wing thwarted the alleged plan by the NPA to snatch large amelioration cash intended for distribution to residents at Sitio Pisabungan, an indigenous community upland of Barangay Sta. Juliana in Capas at the dawn of Tuesday.
Military sources, citing intelligence reports, said Mayor Rey Catacutan, who was to distribute the intended amelioration Wednesday, said the Special Operations Wing was tipped off by a resident on the presence of heavily armed men past noon Tuesday.
A dismayed Duterte said: “It is a sad thing to know that my soldiers are being killed, while even doing the most honorable task of accompanying the government workers delivering money and food.”
The President believed the NPA atrocities would eventually be punished, but stopped short of saying how.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said several government soldiers had been killed or wounded during clashes in San Fernando, Masbate on April 19, in Aurora on April 21, in Paquibato, Davao on April 22, in Victoria City, Negros Occidental on April 24, and again during a police operation in Masbate.
Scores of soldiers were killed and hurt in encounters with rebels throughout April despite the agreement between the government and the rebels to halt the battle due to the pandemic.
“I am so sad about this development but there will always be a time for reckoning,” Duterte said.
The President also expressed gratitude to all government troops for their services during the prevailing ECQ.
“I’d like to [express] my gratitude to the uniformed services here, the airforce, flying almost nonstop, delivering the medicines and medical kits required and for the army for delivering also in company with the government workers and the aid for the monetary and food assistance,” the chief executive added.
Acting on the tip-off, the 710th SPOW went to the area where the rebels were last sighted.
The rebels, numbering more than 20, were reported after a 10-minute gunfight to have retreated towards the Zambales mountains.
Catacutan said the distribution of amelioration was announced a week before the scheduled day for the residents to prepare the necessary requirements.
One source, quoting Aetas but speaking on condition he would not be identified, said: “NPA rebels asked Aeta residents to spare some of the amelioration they will receive from the government.” With Jess Malabanan
