MANILA: The Philippine military can now address the communist threat in the country without hesitation after President Rodrigo R. Duterte designated the Maoist New People's Army (NPA) a terror organization.
"This will certainly ensure that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can now fully execute and perform its mandate without reservation and restrictions," Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, the AFP spokesman, said.
On Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced that Duterte had signed a proclamation "declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) as a designated identified terrorist organization under Republic Act 10168 (RA 10168), otherwise known as “The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012."
Duterte's official residence Malacañang, however, notes that declaring the CPP-NPA a designated/identified terrorist organization is nothing new. On Aug. 2, 2002, the US designated the CPP-NPA as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and to date continues to include the local communist movement in its list of FTOs.
In his proclamation, the president directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to publish the designation of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.
The Department of Justice was likewise ordered to immediately file the necessary application for the proscription or declaration of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization with the appropriate regional trial court.
After the Palace announcement, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana welcomed Duterte's proclamation.
"We have long since maintained that the CPP-NPA is a blight to the Filipino people, with its members engaging in constant criminal activities and wanton acts of terror," he said, adding that the government has walked the extra mile to accommodate them by resuming the talks. The communists, however, have imposed unreasonable conditions and continued their criminal acts.
"Clearly their aim is not the welfare of the Filipino but the pursuit of their selfish agenda. Henceforth, they will be called Communist Terrorists," Lorenzana said.
Meanwhile, Padilla said the tagging of the CPP-NPA as a terror group is a consequence of the end of formal peace talks. The proclamation, according to the official, clearly classifies and labels the group for what they really are.
"This will simplify military and law enforcement operations as efforts against lawless elements and enemies of the state. This will certainly ensure that the AFP can now fully execute and perform its mandate without reservation and restrictions," said Padilla.
And with that, Padilla said the military operations will now become even more precise, simple and effective.
"We can now address without any hesitation and with all the means and resources available to us the increasing criminal and economic sabotage activities of these terrorists," said the AFP spokesman.
Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong, meanwhile, said the National Democratic Front was not included in the proclamation because "we are focusing on the armed component of the communist movement."
Duterte ended peace negotiations between the government and the communists last November. He cited lack of sincerity on the part of the Maoist group and their continued atrocities as reason for the cancellation of talks.