By CESAR JOLITO III
The National Security Council (NSC) has expressed full support for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. in opposing any resumption of national-level peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing the New People’s Army, and its political arm, the National Democratic Front.
In a statement, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said reopening negotiations with the insurgent groups would not serve the country’s interest, arguing that the decades-long communist movement has become “isolated” and weakened on the ground.
Año echoed Teodoro’s stance that renewed talks could lend undue legitimacy to what officials described as a declining insurgency.
He stressed that previous peace negotiations, dating back to the administration of former President Corazon Aquino, were repeatedly used by the groups to regroup and rebuild while continuing armed activities such as extortion, recruitment and attacks on communities.
“For nearly four decades, the Filipino people have borne the consequences of peace efforts that were exploited as tactical tools rather than genuine avenues for reconciliation,” Año said.
The NSC emphasized that many communities previously affected by insurgency have since rejected the NPA and are now focused on development, governance and democratic participation. It added that these gains were achieved through local peacebuilding initiatives rather than formal negotiations.
Government efforts, officials said, are now centered on localized peace engagements through programs led by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, in partnership with local government units.
The NSC maintained that while the government remains open to individuals who wish to abandon armed struggle through reintegration and amnesty programs, it will not pursue national-level talks that could “revive” the insurgency.
“The state is not at war with its people. It is protecting its people from those who continue to undermine peace,” Año said.
The statement comes amid renewed public debate on whether to reopen negotiations with communist groups, a move the security sector insists would undermine recent gains in peace and stability./CJ, WDJ