Manila, Philippines – The Makabayan Bloc has criticized Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s statements regarding his refusal to hold peace talks with communist groups.
In an interview on Saturday, Teodoro said he is not in favor to revive peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and National Democratic Front or CPP-NPA-NDF, allegedly because of the crimes committed by the communist rebels.
The Defense Chief calls these crimes committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF as terrorism.
Based on the Makabayan Bloc statement released on Sunday, they condemn the secretary’s statement, calling Teodoro’s refusal to reopen peace talks between the government and the communist groups closed-minded.
The lawmakers said the secretary’s position dead-end policy that has been tried for decades and has clearly failed. Calling for decisively addressing the roots of the armed conflict.
The Makabayan Bloc also reminded the secretary that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos jr. through Special Assistant to the President Antonia Lagdameo signed an Oslo Statement in 2022 and committed to discuss efforts on the peace issue.
This was followed by an encouonter between the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, and communist groups in Toboso Negros Occidental that occurred on April 19.
According to the Military report, 19 members of the rebel groups who were allegedly armed were killed in the clash.
However, several groups condemned what they called a massacre, because according to the NPA, only ten of their members were killed, where civilians were among the casualties.—Alvin Pelobello, Eurotv News