Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s stand that he is not in favor of resuming peace talks with the NDFP is unfortunate and may signal more of the same militaristic approach to the roots of the armed conflict.

The armed conflict exists because of poverty, social injustice, lack of sovereignty and widespread rights violations. The Marcos regime is sorely mistaken if it thinks these issues can be addressed through militaristic means – armed offensives, bombings, forced surrender of civilians, extrajudicial killings, abductions and other acts that redound to gross human rights violations. This has been the tact adopted by the Philippine government and every regime that has promised to end the insurgency during their watch.

May be an image of 1 person, dais and text that says "TRAW ON THE RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS BAYAN"

This approach had repeatedly failed because it does not seek to address the roots of the armed conflict towards achieving a just peace. The policy of the Philippine government is to force the NDFP and its allied organizations to surrender. Past Philippine governments have nixed the reforms discussed in the peace talks and have instead embarked on militarization in the countryside and even the cities. The previous government has used the Anti-terror Law as a permanent stumbling block to the resumption of peace negotiations, and has used the “terrorist” label to justify violations of IHL. This is why the Philippines has been notorious for its human rights record all the way to the United Nations.

We believe that the current anti-peace and pro-militarization policy of the Philippine government will fail. It would be better if the current regime picks up from where the peace talks left off in 2017 and seriously address the roots of the armed conflict. Hubris and arrogance will not solve the insurgency. It is time to talk about socio-economic reforms as a way to achieve a just and lasting peace. ###

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