“It is important to underscore how the decision concluded that the CPP and NPA are not terrorists, rather, are waging armed resistance with clear political aims and directs its attacks, not against civilians, but against agents of the reactionary state represented by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP).
Indeed, we aver that the CPP and NPA are revolutionary organizations that advance the Filipino people’s aspirations for genuine national freedom and democracy and draw its strength from the support of the broad masses, especially, peasants and workers.”
Marco Valbuena, CPP Chief Information Officer, on the Manila RTC’s decision to junk DOJ’s petition declaring the CPP-NPA as “terrorists”
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena views the Manila RTC Branch 19 ruling to junk the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) 2018 petition to declare the CPP-New People’s Army (NPA) as terrorists as a “pleasant surprise,” especially amid constant state terrorist attacks in the guise of “counter-insurgency.”
While claiming that the CPP-NPA has its own People’s Democratic Government, Valbuena recognized the decision of the court under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and discredited the baseless accusations by the Justice department and alleged ex-NPA rebels against the CPP.
The Manila RTC decision was, however, lauded as a “legal pushback” against the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) which has engaged in various red-tagging sprees on national democratic forces, underground organizations, and the CPP-NPA, stated Valbuena.
Prior to Marcos, Jr.’s rule, numerous unarmed and legal activists have been subject to malicious terrorist-tagging by state forces amid lack of concrete grounds. Meanwhile, CPP-NPA rebels have also been the primary target of state counter-insurgency operations.
Under the elder Duterte’s rule, peace talks between the GRP and the CPP-NPA-NDF has been put to a halt in 2017, followed by a series of brazen attacks against national democratic organizations and individuals.
Moreover, during Duterte’s term, numerous individuals have been baselessly red-tagged, peddling the vague definition of “terrorism” in accordance with the unconstitutional Anti Terror Law of 2020. In the DOJ petition, more than 600 individuals were asked to be tagged as terrorist by the DOJ without basis.
Due to the uncompelling evidence presented by the petitioners, in the 135-page decision, Manila RTC Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar clearly delineated what “terrorism” and “rebellion” is.
Citing terrorism as an act conducted to engender mass panic and harm, the Manila RTC regarded the CPP-NPA as a “rebel” organization, clarifying that revolutionary violence can never be considered the CPP-NPA’s “purpose” or ends; rather, it should be seen as the organization’s “means” to advance the people’s agenda.
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To this, Valbuena described Judge Malagar’s decision as “reasonable and fair,” pointing out the Judge’s in-depth look into the revolutionary movement, its program and constitution, situated “from the perspective of the Filipino people’s struggle against oppression and exploitation.”
Despite the Party’s campaigns to be “reasonable aspirations of any civilized society,” Valbuena recounts that state forces have consistently threatened the safety and security of legal democratic organizations through its “anti-insurgency” programs, spending lump sums on repressing the people’s right to organize and freedom of expression.
Mobilizations held to forward urgent mass campaigns, such as the distribution of land to farmers, safe and inclusive return to schools, and the rejection of the Marcos-Duterte tandem, are consistently hampered by police and military forces.
Valbuena noted that the “anti-terrorism dogma is being used to silence and suppress the people’s voice, legitimate resistance, and grievances to widespread social ills.” He furthered that the Manila RTC’s decision is enough for the NTC-Elcac to zip its big mouth and to stop its red-tagging and attacks on labor unions, mass organizations, and peasant associations.
Valbuena also called on to Filipinos overseas to push forward the removal of the CPP-NPA in the “list of terrorist organizations,” and underscored the decision’s crucial contribution in helping to stop the US government’s funding and provision of surplus weapons to the AFP which has only engendered numerous cases of human rights abuses.
Amid the positive implications of the decision, Valbuena maintained that the Marcos-Duterte regime will not honor nor recognize such and, instead, intensify its anti-people campaigns and operations using taxpayers’ money.
Valbuena concludes that the NPA must forge through with its campaigns for the championing of the national democratic revolutionary cause against the ruling semicolonial and semifeudal society.
Featured image courtesy of Alecs Ongcal
