Misencounter in Samar could have been avoided if ‘stand down’ enforced–Joma Sison
THE military’s alleged rejection of a stand down agreement between the government and the communist rebels was the reason behind the deaths of six policemen in a misencounter in Samar, the communist leadership said on Thursday.
“If there was a stand down agreement which would have been enforced on June 21, there would be no gunfight between the soldiers and police of [President Rodrigo] Duterte,” Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison said in a message to reporters.
“Kung sila-sila nagkakaputukan, lalong masama tuwing mga Anakpawis ang target nila (If they are shooting at each other, it is also worst if their targets are Anakpawis members),” Sison said.
The peace panels of the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) forged a stand down agreement during backchannel talks at The Netherlands in early June but Duterte decided to postpone negotiations again to for a three-month review of the agreements which both sides have signed.
NDFP consultant Rey Casambre sai the six slain policemen may still be alive had not the military “rejected” the stand down of forces.
“Along with the six policemen, another casualty of the DND-AFP rejection of any kind of ceasefire is the peace talks itself, which PRRD ‘postponed’ reportedly upon the ‘request’ of the military,” Casambre said in a separate statement, referring to the initials of the President.
DND is the Department of National Defense while AFP is the Armed Forces of the Philippines. DEMPSEY REYES
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