By GENALYN D. KABILING
The government is not inclined to withdraw its court petition seeking to declare the communist rebels as terrorists despite President Duterte’s willingness to revive the peace talks.
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the President’s peace initiative has “no effect” on the government’s move to declare several persons as terrorists.
“For as long as the legal requirements under the Human Security Act are met, then the government will pursue its proscription action against these people regardless of the fact na coincidentally, they are supposed to be “consultants” sa peace process,” he said during a Palace press briefing.
The government earlier filed a petition before a Manila court seeking to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) as terrorist organizations. Over 600 individuals, including a United Nations special rapporteur, have also reportedly been included in the government list of alleged communist terrorists.
