The Party, New People's Army and NDFP will never surrender the armed revolution

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
November 03, 2002

The Communist Party of the Philippines, New People's Army, National Democratic Front and the Filipino people waging revolution will never surrender the armed revolution, as what Malaca�ang wants and has called on them to do. Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes wants to make it appear that the recent inclusion of the New People's Army and Comrade Joema Sison on the European Union's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations is a "strategic loss" for the revolutionary movement, and thus, the Party, NPA and NDFP should lay down their arms. "War room" manager Rigoberto Tiglao's psywar also has contempt for the capability of the Party and its leaders to continue advancing the armed revolution.

The NPA continues to gain strength along with its capability to advance the armed struggle and reap more and more victories against the rotting reactionary government and its decadent army.

Through the New People's Army, the Filipino people have taken up arms to decisively resolve the roots of their oppression and exploitation-feudal oppression and deprivation of land, foreign domination in politics and the economy, government corruption and military abuse.

To lay down arms is to continue swallowing all these thorns that for centuries and entire generations, have wounded our oppressed and exploited country to its very core.

To lay down arms is to surrender the gains achieved by the people and the revolutionary movement through armed struggle-genuine land reform, mutual assistance, genuine cooperatives and livelihood enhancement, health, knowledge and people's culture; building and running the local people's democratic government; and other gains that are time and again being launched and built despite relentless attacks from Macapagal-Arroyo's military and government.

In the eyes of the oppressed, the revolutionary armed struggle is building a new system, a new order, a new life filled with meaning and hope for the people. In the eyes of the oppressors and exploiters, this is "destructive terrorism."

The US and Arroyo regime's zealous campaign to designate as "terrorist" the NPA and comrades engaged in peace talks with the government, the regime's continued conduct of an unspeakably brutal all-out war against bases of the revolutionary movement and its scuttling of the peace talks have only further inflamed the civil war in the Philippines and are tantamount to the imposition of further suffering on the people at the hands of the reactionary forces.

Nonetheless, we challenge Malaca�ang and the AFP to adhere to all policies stipulated in the Geneva Conventions on the conduct of a humane and civilized war, implement the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and form the Joint Monitoring Committee along with the NDF and other third party organizations. As the NDF has declared, it endorses CARHRIHL and is ready to take responsibility for its actions in accordance with what CARHRIHL stipulates. Malaca�ang and the AFP's continued refusal to implement these measures are proof positive that it is they who are the real terrorists in the country.###

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