Saturday, July 26, 2008 Defense chief opposes truce with Reds
DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said it is up to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whether or not to give the go signal to reach a ceasefire agreement with the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF).
Teodoro issued the statement in the wake of a proposal by Armed Forces Chief Alexander Yano to the communists for an indefinite ceasefire so that the peace negotiations, stalled since 2004, can be resumed soon.
Hours after Yano made the proposal last Thursday, Teodoro said there is no government policy to reach a truce with the communists.
He said forging a ceasefire with the communists is not consistent with the President’s order to defeat the insurgents by 2010.
“The President would have the last word naturally... Circumstances are dynamic, I admit that, but until that policy is changed by the President, it stands,” he said.
He said the military campaign against the insurgents should continue unhampered unless Malacañang says otherwise. “What I'm saying is until such time that there is a definite policy on the ceasefire, there is no ceasefire to talk about,” he said.
Teodoro said while the insurgency problem cannot be won through combat operations alone, military pressure has to be applied.
“You cannot win it by military force alone but it should be won with military force, not without, or else you will not be able really to have a clear settlement of the problem,” he said.
“Only the President can change her policy and perhaps General Yano was baited by some sort of a question which led to his answers. I know Alex Yano very well. He is a good friend, he is a compadre. I know him to be a professional officer, perhaps his views may not coincide with mine, that's fine. We’re both professionals and we follow the directives to us,” added Teodoro.
In a media interview, the defense chief also reminded government forces to control themselves in the face of renewed attacks by secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas against the soldiers and civilians in Central Mindanao.
“They know that our directive is the primary of the peace talks. Many are agitating them (soldiers) but I praise their exhibition of professionalism and restraint because of a greater objective,” he said.
MILF rebels staged five attacks in North Cotabato Province since last Tuesday.
Four of them targeted against government troopers. One of the attacks was against a group of Christian farmers in the town of Aleosan that left a 61-year-old woman dead and another injured.
The government and the MILF are negotiating for a peace accord since the late 1990s, and have forged a ceasefire agreement.
Last week, negotiators from both sides settled the contentious issue of ancestral domain that has caused an impasse to the talks since last December.
“We are supporting the directive of the chief of staff (Gen. Alexander Yano) and that is active defense. That is the directive of the chief of staff and that remains a policy,” said Teodoro.
He added that the military is not going on an offensive mode because this may lead to a collapse of the talks.
When asked if those behind the attacks were the people which he earlier said might try to sabotage the peace process, Teodoro said: “Maybe not. I think not. My information is local disputes,” he said, referring to the reason of the attacks. (VR/Sunnex)
