The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division is a standing joke with its claim of resuming military operations as the holiday ceasefire ended last January 8, 2020. It never stopped spreading terror and harm in the countryside through military operations even during the recent ceasefire.

The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army (AGC-NPA) Regional Operational Command in Negros Island have immediately exposed the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) defiance of their own suspension of military operations in Negros after the expiration of the ceasefire. In fact, there are additional reports from the field of more incidents of AFP violations during the ceasefire period.

The 3ID clearly underestimates the intelligence and wisdom of the Negrosanons and the Filipino people. While its top dogs and spin doctors desperately push their tale of NPA betrayal during ceasefire, the people are already aware of their deception.

All efforts of the 3ID are in vain as they gear towards impending failure. The US-Duterte regime shamelessly announced another extension of its pipedream of decimating the NPA to the end of Duterte’s term in 2022.

The US-Duterte regime is on a losing end but the people are not because they have their genuine army, the NPA, fighting for their aspirations for national liberation and democracy.

Capt. Cenon Pancito III of the 3ID go as far as putting a spin on NDFP senior adviser Luis Jalandoni’s words regarding ceasefire to sound knowledgeable of peace matters but his cluelessness is glaring.

Revolutionary armed struggle is growing strong along with the people’s struggles for their democratic rights and welfare exactly why Duterte is left with no choice but to entertain peace negotiations. In the absence of armed struggle, without the NPA, the Filipino people especially the broad toiling masses have no weapon against the ruling class of big compradors and landlords represented by Duterte.

The revolutionary movement and peace-loving people push for the resumption of peace talks to address the roots of armed conflict. Peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) was sabotaged when panels of both parties were already discussing the heart of peace talks, the Comprehensive Agreement of Social and Economic Reforms.

In contrary, Duterte and militarist hawks in his cabinet peddles peace talks to coopt the revolutionary movement. They are surely foolish to think the Negrosanons and the Filipino people do not see beyond their treacherous schemes.

The NPA and the entire revolutionary forces have already shunned localized peace talks from the beginning. The AFP/PNP insists on it anyway because it is a huge source of corruption. Recycling the RPA-ABB as surrenderees is a show of defeat by the AFP like their digitally altered surrenderees in Bicol.

If the US-Duterte regime is insincere in peace talk efforts, the NPA and the entire revolutionary movement will continue to wage armed struggle to overthrow this tyrannical, fascist, traitorous and corrupt regime.