Official Philippine Army Press Release
FORT ANDRES BONIFACIO, METRO MANILA - Days before the resumption of formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippine (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) negotiating panel, NDF made a statement to the media (intended for local and international consumption) calling to ban the Civil-Military Operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the week-long ceasefire coinciding with the resumption of peace talks in Norway.
The Philippine Army opines that the NDF wants to ban the activities of peace and development teams because these outreach activities will help address the problems and grievances of the people thereby depriving them of mass support.
The Armed Forces has been a bridge between the communities and our Government. Our soldiers took upon themselves to act as catalyst for change when other Government agencies are hesitant to address the problems and issues of some communities threatened by the NPA group.
Thus, for the CPP/NDA/NDFs to call for a stop on CMO activities only manifests their selfishness knowing that these development activities works against their interest of quelling the benefits our people are enjoying from peace and development projects.
The Armed Forces will not succumb to this demand. It is not an option and never will be for the AFP to stop CMO. It is our mandate to protect the communities and we will live by to serve them in the interest of peace and development.
NDF: Tagged the CMO acts as veil for "actions that are hostile to the people." Revolutionary forces in the Philippines have relayed the message to NDF negotiating panel chairman Luis Jalandoni that "in many barangays, the CMO operations, under the Community Organizer for Peace and Development (CPOD), had AFP troops harassing the communities, threatening the residents who resisted being recruited into the CAFGU, listing them as "sympathizers" of the NPA and putting in on the AFP's Order of the Battle."
The Philippine Army expects that the CPP-NDA-NDF will continue to manufacture issues and fabricate lies, however, it is beyond our imagination that they will resort to discrediting the valid peace and development operations our soldiers are conducting just so to mislead the people and to justify their existence.
With this, we would like to challenge those revolutionary forces that made such fabricated reports to present evidences of these allegations. If they dont have, then we call for an end of their continuous lies.
Our message is simple: let us stop the lies. The Philippine Army has always been consistent with our peace initiatives. We mean what we say and do what we say. We are ready, willing and able to adhere to the peace talks to achieve and agree to a just peace for our nation. The organization is doing its part religiously and we challenge the NDF to show some sincerity to put an end to this 40-year-old conflict so we can move on as a nation and freedom-loving Filipinos.
Philippine Army