NDF-ST condemns the latest schemes of the US-Duterte regime to jeopardize the people’s efforts to achieve genuine peace, allowing Rodrigo Duterte and his fascist generals to act on their obsession to crush the revolutionary movement led by the CPP-NPA-NDF.

The latest manifestations of this obsession can be observed across the reactionary bureaucracy. One is the possible installation of soon to retire AFP Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez in the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) following the resignation of GRP lead negotiator Jesus Dureza. Another is Duterte’s plan to create a vigilante group from his avid followers that will counter supposed ‘sparrow’ units of the NPA.

These two measures are part of the reactionary regime’s foolish dream to eliminate the revolutionary movement and all its sympathizers by 2019. These augment the National Task Force led by the mercenary AFP-PNP that aims to direct and coordinate all government units in the conduct of its bloody anti-communist war.

It bodes ill that the head of this anti-communist war, the AFP Chief himself, has openly volunteered to take over the agency handling the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF. If we are to correctly sum up Duterte’s averse attitude towards the peace talks, the appointment of Galvez as the new peace adviser is most likely a done deal.

Placing an AFP general in the OPAPP is equivalent to expressing disinterest in the peace talks. It is a concrete move echoing Duterte and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s position that for the GRP, there are no ongoing negotiations with the revolutionary movement. Ultimately, it means continuing the all-out war against the revolution and its supporters.

The regime walks this violent path to the complete annihilation of its enemies without any regard for the well-being of the Filipino people, targeting legal organizations and killing innocent civilians in the process. Discreet yet equally destructive is its divisive strategy of using ordinary citizens in its suppression campaigns leaving communities and even families ruined.

The intensification of the regime’s anti-communist war signals the creation of wider and deeper local intelligence networks by the AFP-PNP. The PNP has bared plans to expand its Community Mobilization Project (CMP) that recruits civilians for intelligence work. The CMP, which piloted in Calabarzon, is reminiscent of groups like Alsa Masa that were used to terrorize and gradually constrict revolutionary bases during the US-Corazon Aquino regime. Alsa Masa became infamous for attacking civilian population and desecrating the bodies of the victims like what happened to Fr. Tulio Favali, whose brain was eaten by members of the group.

In this climate, it is alarming to hear of a plot to create a Duterte Death Squad from Duterte himself. If established, the DDS will certainly abet state agents in violating human rights and sowing fear among the people. It is sickening that Duterte unflinchingly takes advantage of his die-hard supporters to fulfill his selfish interest to stay in power.

As calls for reforms and his ouster gather momentum, Duterte becomes ever more desperate and willing to deploy the full force of the AFP-PNP against the people. The regime will do anything, even stoop to ludicrous tactics such as assigning a general and a human rights violator as peace adviser and sponsoring vigilantes, in order to delay its collapse.

The US-Duterte regime is the biggest obstruction towards the peaceful, equal and prosperous society the Filipino people aspire for, but it will not stand for long. It will soon be toppled by the broad alliance of forces gathering in strength and number. The people and the revolutionary forces will remove the regime from power and march together towards their common goal of just and lasting peace. ###