‘Stop the lip service’

Whenever I hear and read news about the fervent advocacy of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on “human rights” and “upholding civil and political rights,” I can’t help but be reminded of the idiom “put your money where your mouth is.” It couldn’t be more accurate on depicting how the CPP uses sugary words to deceive the Filipino people.

Being an “all talk, no action” group, I think it has no right to play human rights champion for all of us because it, too, is a proven human rights violator.

For one, it keeps on reneging from its obligations under the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, i.e., not to involve noncombatants from armed conflicts. This notwithstanding, it keeps on plundering and sowing terror in communities, which disrupt peace, order, and progress, especially of those located in far-flung areas.

Second, and which I consider as the most despicable of all, is it involves the innocent and promising Filipino youth in the realization of its dastardly and criminal objectives. In a UN report released just recently, the New People’s Army (NPA), which happens to be the armed wing of the CPP, is still among those groups that have “not put in place measures… to improve the protection of children.”

I am convinced that the CPP-NPA is a wretched entity hiding under the cloth of apparent and pretentious righteousness and principles. Indeed, if its members seek the realization of the basic tenets and/or principles of “justice and equity” or “equality,” which they are allegedly fighting for decades already, they must stop all these stupidity, drop their arms like what the Moro Islamic Liberation Front did, and sit down to discuss what could be done with their sentiments with the government. If they are true to their words, they must exhibit the willingness to declare a truce and stop waging armed conflicts.

It couldn’t be agreed more that it is only when the CPP’s lip service stops that actionable and real peace negotiation starts.

With the escalating violence and contradictions manifested by the CPP-NPA, I don’t know where on earth our government is getting its patience and tolerance.

Praying for a lasting peace for this nation,

JUAN PAOLO GALGO, [email protected]