The Filipino people have been for too long wanting Peace, Social Justice and honest-to-goodness Progress for the country. Isn’t this the ultimate desire of all Filipinos, including the current leaders holding on with so much economic and political power to effectively bring about soonest a lasting 'just and humane society'?
“The Philippine Army…said it was preparing charges against two environmental activists who accused the military of having abducted and forced them to sign statements saying they were communist rebels.”
Again, who is to be believed given the person’s credibility: the AFP general or the youthful environment activists, Jhed Tamayo, 21, and Jonila Castro, 22?
Jhed and Jonila have been protesting China-backed reclamation projects in Manila Bay. Are activists violating any Philippine Law or the Constitution?
Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, in a presscon, openly recanted their allegedly coerced statements being with the communist movement. “Both women claimed they were under duress when they wrote those statements…The truth is, we were kidnapped by the military onboard a van…We were coerced to surrender and our lives were threatened.”
This case actually brought renewed attention to cases of missing activists, for which “Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay …called for a deeper independent investigation into the cases (Bea Lopez, 25, a tricycle driver Peter Agravante, plus 8 other activists with similar cases as those of Castro and Tamano) and for the government to abolish the government’s National Task force to End Local Communist Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).”
Given the track record of Jhed and Jonila who were just protesting the damage to Manila Bay’s environment and, more importantly, the deprivation of the fishermen’s livelihood by the China bullying in the West Philippine Sea, who is to be believed – the AFP general or the two twentyish activists?
The government and the AFP have been "fearfully" focused on a so-called communist threat. But the fact is, if the AFP or the government is rationally, intelligently and seriously wanting to end this decades-long struggle of these Filipinos branded as communists, why is it avoiding or fearing or hesitating to talk peace (as with the Bangsa Moro Army) with them and to determine their grievances, and their proposed program of government?
The NPA can be considered as a “ragtag band of weakly armed Filipinos” with their grievances against the government and wanting genuine reforms for good governance, and considering the well-armed and US-supported AFP/PNP, what is there to fear about bringing up PEACE TALKS?
The Filipino people have been for too long wanting Peace, Social Justice and honest-to-goodness Progress for the country. Isn’t this the ultimate desire of all Filipinos, including the current leaders holding on with so much economic and political power to effectively bring about soonest a lasting “just and humane society”?
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