PTC Question Hinges on Resolution of Socio-economic and Political Reforms — CPP
February 16, 2004

“The resolution of socio-economic and political reform agenda in the peace talks are prior matters that should be settled first and with dispatch and should not precede the question of the CPP-NPA’s Permit To Campaign policy which are part and parcel of the CPP-NPA’s revolutionary governmental functions.”

This was the reaction of the Communist Party of the Philippines to President Arroyo’s statement yesterday that the New People’s Army should now desist from implementing the CPP’s PTC policy to "show good faith" after the signing of the Oslo Accord. Significant agreements were agreed upon and signed by the National Democratic Front and government peace panels in Oslo, Norway on February 14.

CPP spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal urged Arroyo “to desist from needlessly distressing the peace negotiations by prematurely raising issues which should be tackled at their proper time.”

Rosal said that before any substantial agreement is reached on socio-economic and on political and electoral reform questions, Arroyo has no business asking the CPP-NPA to stop making its own policies and formulating remedies in the interest of the revolutionary movement and people. The next substantive item on the agenda of the NDF-GRP peace talks is on socio-economic reforms, after which will follow discussions on political and electoral reforms.

Rosal explained that while the revolutionary movement has not yet attained total victory or a democratic coalition government has not yet been established at the national level, there, in fact, exist two parallel governments in the country—the moribund puppet reactionary government that she runs and the ascendant autonomous revolutionary government led by the CPP.

Rosal said that the revolutionary movement enacts, promulgates and implements within its terrritories, laws, such as the PTC policy, for the interest of the people and the revolutionary movement. These render extraneous and irrelevant the reactionary government’s laws and functions.

Rosal elaborated that the revolutionary authorities have as much right to implement and collect fees and taxes as the reactionary government has. “The main difference is that PTC fees and other revolutionary taxes and collections serve the interests of the people while tax and other collections of the Philippine government are pocketed by the ruling classes and corrupt big bureaucrats.” Rosal explained that proceeds from the PTCs and revolutionary taxes are in large part used to fund people’s socio-economic programs in revolutionary territories.

“In the spirit of the peace talks,” Rosal also asked Arroyo to refrain from issuing derogatory statements that criminalizes legitimate state functions of the revolutionary government. Rosal said that collecting fees from PTCs in no way constitutes extortion but officical payments and voluntary contributions according to revolutionary governmental policies and laws.

The CPP spokesperson said that it is almost always the candidates who seek out the revolutionary authorities to ask permission to conduct their campaigns in revolutionary areas. He added that PTC polices are also necessary to define the candidates’ conduct inside territories of the revolutionary government. Rosal also said that candidates are of course urged to support economic, health, educational and cultural projects of the people both through their programs as well as indirectly through their contributions.

He said not only the present economic system but also the present political system and system of government, including elections, are much too opppressive, exploitative and discriminatory to the people. “Our program of government seeks to decisively address and resove these issues. This is also contained in our proposals for socio-economic reforms and political reforms which will be discussed by the NDF panel in the peace talks,” said Rosal.

Oslo Joint Statement between the NDFP and the GRP signed on Feb. 14, 2004

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553

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PTC Question Hinges on Resolution of Socio-economic and Political Reforms — CPP February 16, 2004

PTC Question Hinges on Resolution of Socio-economic and Political Reforms — CPP
February 16, 2004