ILOILO CITY (PIA) — Some peace advocacy groups primarily composed of former rebels recently held a prayer for peace and a condemnation rally for justice, peace, and unity, calling on the public to put an end to terrorism and insurgency.
The Alliance for Peace, Environment, and Sustainability (APES-Metro Iloilo) and Sentrong Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan para sa Bayan (SAMBAYANAN-Panay) organized these events in Iloilo City and in Capiz coinciding with the 55th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on December 26.
With this, former New People’s Army (NPA)- National Democratic Front (NDF) member, “Ka Rey” Cachuela, strongly condemned the 55 years of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s existence.
He asserted that the CPP-NPA-NDF had “achieved nothing but the pointless deaths of many innocent lives in pursuit of their godless and misplaced ideology.”
“Let’s continue condemning the existence of the CPP-NPA-NDF and giving our wholehearted support to end terrorism and insurgency. For more than 55 years, we have not gained any benefit from them, only pain and misfortune. Let’s put an end to their mania and terrorist activities that have destroyed families, killed innocent lives, curtailed our freedom, and dampened our future,” Cachuela stressed.
Major Gen. Marion R. Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, commended the SAMBAYANAN-Panay and APES-Metro Iloilo for their constant support in eradicating the CPP-NPA-NDF and for taking bold action to bring their “senseless armed struggle” to an end despite the risks it entails.
Sison also urged them to continue promoting peace and development and making the people more aware of the CTG’s deceptive propaganda.
“As one nation, the future lies in the unity of the people. We are grateful for the
initiative, courage, and commitment of these groups to make the people know about the menace of insurgency,” said Sison.
He added that there must be an end to the “senseless and worthless existence” of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
“As guardians of peace in Panay, we will never tire of performing our mandate and solemn duty to achieve just and lasting peace in this region,” Sison added.
Carrying banners and placards, members of peace advocacy groups totaling hundreds from different clusters in the city and province of Iloilo, gathered to express their opposition to the CPP-NPA-NDF and denounce their more than five decades-long senseless armed struggle.
The activity also aimed at encouraging the remaining CTG members to abandon the armed struggle and return to the folds of the law. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6 with reports from the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division of the Philippine Army)
