In a recent interview with Aksyon Radyo Bacolod, 3rd Infantry Division spokesman Col. Erwin Lamzon ludicrously argued that the NPA should adhere to the “correct process” in conveying its “sentiments” to the reactionary state and its fascist military instead of pursuing armed means.

He further asserted that these can be addressed through dialogue and filing of cases within the ambit of the grievance mechanisms of the local government units and national government agencies ostensibly to avoid bloodshed.

These false narratives bared the bankruptcy and utter ignorance of Col. Lamzon on the question of addressing the root causes of the armed conflict and the right way forward to attain just and lasting peace.

Firstly, the people’s protracted war being waged by the New People’s Army (NPA) under the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the broad support of National Democratic Front (NDF)-allied revolutionary mass organizations cutting across classes and sectors of society cannot be simply reduced to mere “sentiments.” It is deeply rooted in the historical and current circumstances of Phillipine society. It systematically addressed the fundamental aspirations of the Filipino people for national freedom against imperialist domination principally by US imperialism and secondarily by Chinese imperialism and democracy through agrarian revolution (revolutionary land reform) and the establishment of organs of people’s power.

The so-called “correct process” flaunted by Col. Lamzon as a panacea is nothing but a bourgeois embellishment to lure the people into reformism and to dampen their militant spirit to fight for the revolutionary reconstitution of the oppressive and exploitative semi-colonial and semi-feudal ruling system.

The resolution of the fundamental problems of imperialist domination, landlessness brought about by the feudal economic set-up especially in the countryside and bureaucrat capitalist mode of governance are central to the attainment of genuine peace based on social justice.

The people’s war is for just peace. It is laughable for Col. Lamzon to suggest that the NPA should pour out its “sentiments” to the fascist military to achieve peace. The NPA and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are two contending belligerent armed forces in the ongoing civil armed conflict.

Secondly, the entire justice system of the reactionary government is perpetually inutile, corrupt and elitist. What then can you expect from the grievance mechanisms of the reactionary government. Besides, only peripheral issues will surely be tackled under such framework and some paliatives that can hardly make a dent in peace building initiatives.

Thirdly, the rationale of the false narratives peddled by Col. Lamzon is obvious which is to sabotage the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP)-NDF peace negotiations and to push for the sham localized peace talks in accordance with the National Action Plan for Unity, Peace and Development (NAP-UPD), the new counter-insurgency blueprint of the US-Marcos regime.

Finally, the allegation of Col. Lamzon that NPA units in Negros are using civilians as some sort of human shields is totally baseless and pure fiction. On the contrary, it has been the longstanding practice of the AFP to establish encampments within civilian communities and populated areas. From 2022-2025, there were 183 cases of such violation putting in harm’s way 32,495 civilians, of which 950 were minors.