As we emphasized in our earlier editorial on December 1, the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) should approach the upcoming peace talks with caution and perhaps even a healthy dose of skepticism, considering the regrettable track record of all past attempts to find a peaceful resolution to the longest-running communist rebellion in history. However, Vice President Sara Duterte described them earlier this week in a statement, saying that they are not “an agreement with the devil.”
It is wise to proceed cautiously, and there is reason for skepticism, but bias and mistrust will destroy any possibility of advancement before the negotiations ever begin. The two parties can only discuss the matters at the core of the problem in a candid and open manner if that is put aside.
Reaching out to the NDFP is unquestionably the right course of action for the administration to follow when one takes into account the larger context in which the nation currently finds itself.
First of all, practically speaking, the government is being generous with this gesture; if the NDFP isn’t aware of this, let’s remind them. The uprising is a shattered, malnourished, ill-prepared ghost of its former self. Although it is still capable of doing great harm through isolated acts of banditry, its ability to fight as an organized, coordinated force has been all but destroyed. This is largely due to constant pressure from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and, to give some credit where credit is due, the social and community-building efforts of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), which was a major part of Vice President Duterte’s father’s administration.
Due to the persistently careless and reckless rhetoric that some of its members have espoused over the past five years, the NTF-Elcac has a poor reputation, yet behind closed doors, it has done a tremendous lot of good for communities devastated by war.
Negotiations are therefore not something the government should be afraid of, as House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez accurately pointed out earlier this week. It is in a certain position of strength, and its opposite number’s lack of faith should have evident implications.
Furthermore, it’s critical to keep in mind that the world will be watching these peace talks; they are not happening in a vacuum. The Philippines’ willingness to engage in peaceful, negotiated settlements of its disputes, even with the most formidable adversaries, is demonstrated by its pursuit of peace negotiations.
The government might, if it so desired, use force to eliminate the last of the insurgents given the advancements made in military operations over the previous few years and the NTF-Elcac’s commensurate success in supporting communities in conflict zones, thereby cutting off the rebellion’s source of support.
However, that is not how those who claim to promote and uphold peace operate in the civilized world. No one wins, even if the government would probably eventually succeed in its mission; after all, if the government uses force and aggression, the opposition would have a right to retaliate. However, everyone may benefit from productive involvement and compromise. It’s a fact that, given its aspirations in the West Philippine Sea, our troublesome neighbor China may want to consider carefully.
This brings up another intriguing possibility regarding these peace talks, which the government may or may not have thought of. It may not have much practical significance, but it would make for a fun case of schadenfreude. As we indicated before, apart from being a symbol of stronger national unity, working with the NDFP to bring a peaceful end to a communist insurrection while being intimidated by the strongest communist nation in the world might not signify much, but it definitely would feel nice. The people whose interests the government and the NDFP claim to uphold, though in very different ways, are the ones who both owe it to them to seize the chance to improve the nation.
