MALACAÑANG downplayed Saturday the threat of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison to intensify the offensives of the New People's Army (NPA) following the government's termination of the formal peace talks with the rebels.
In an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the government forces are ready to defend the public from the violence to be perpetrated by the communist guerrillas.
"Even during the time that the government panel and the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) have been talking, the NPA continued to commit violence," he said, noting that the only time that the rebels stopped their atrocities was whenever there was a declaration of ceasefire on their part.
"So what they have been saying was not new," he said.
Lacierda said that even before the government's decision to drop the formal talks with the NDF, the political wing of the CPP-NPA, the rebels have intensified their operations, particularly in extorting money from the politicians through their permit-to-campaign fees.
He recalled that almost every week or every two weeks, he could get questions from the press regarding the NPA violence.
"It never stopped. So far as the defense is concerned, we will always defend out citizenry," the Palace official said.
Lacierda said that the position being taken now by the NDF could be characterized in four words, "chatty chatty bang bang" from the novel "Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang" of Ian Fleming.
He said the rebels were engaged in talking and at the same time continued with their violence.
"They have forked tongue," he added.
The Aquino administration has already proven its sincerity in the peace process, Lacierda said, citing the signing of a framework agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Government chief negotiator Alexander Padilla has said that the government was considering a new approach to end the over four decades armed conflict with the communist rebels since the formal talks have been going nowhere for the past 27 years.
Lacierda said that Padilla will continue as the government peace panel head since he is not the problem. (SDR/Sunnex)