Francis Escudero

The failure of past administrations to bring about true and meaningful change in our country has fueled the longest-running communist insurgency in Asia. But armed struggle is not the answer to our country’s problems. Both sides should work together to break the impasse by implementing confidence-building measures.

We all know that a military solution will not end this insurgency. It is ridiculous that we are one of the few countries left with a so-called "insurgency problem," and one actively engaged by the military at that. I believe this issue should be addressed by the police and involve local government solutions.  

There are three things we can do to address this problem.

First, we must resume peace talks without preconditions to show our sincerity to end this four decade-long conflict. As a sign of good faith, we can also endorse a proposal for the delisting of the CPP-NPA as a “foreign terrorist organization” in the terror list of the United States and the European Union.

Second, we must put a stop to the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances that have victimized leftist activist with perceived ties to the NPA, and step up efforts to catch, try, and convict those behind these brutal crimes. As long as there are perceptions that government sanctions the murder and persecution of individuals who espouse certain political beliefs, we will be unable to convince those in the Left that there are viable alternatives to armed conflict, such as involvement in the electoral process.

Third, we must address the root causes of the insurgency: widespread poverty. Solving this will not be easy, but we can start by improving access to basic needs like education so that succeeding generations can be provided opportunities to escape poverty and improve their lives. We must also exert efforts to lower the costs of food, make low-cost housing available to more people, and improve the investment climate to produce more jobs. If we address the socioeconomic problems that are primarily responsible for this armed conflict, then we will be able to slowly solve insurgency problem without further bloodshed.

Bong Revilla

Mahirap sugpuin ang pagkakaroon ng communist insurgents sa isang bansa, lalo na kung ang mga ugat o dahilan kung bakit naging rebelde ang mga ito ay patuloy pa rin na nararamdaman. Dapat nating lalong bigyang pansin na malapatan ng kasagutan ang mga problemang naging ugat ng digmaang ito. Sa kabilang banda, tayo ay dapat magkaisang huhubog sa ating bansa para sa minamahal nating bayang Pilipinas. Dapat nating ipagpatuloy ang pagsugpo sa problema ng korupsyon, kawalan ng hustisya, at pang-aapi ng mga iilang may kapangyarihan. Kung mabibigyan natin ng tamang aksyon ang mga problemang aking nabanggit ay tiyak na magkakaroon ng pagbabago. Magkakaroon ng repormang ating hinahangad para sa bayan. Dapat din bigyan pansin ng pamahalaan na mabigyan ng tamang serbisyo ang bawat Pilipino, saang sulok man siya ng bansa, anu man ang kasarian niya, o ang relihiyon niya ay dapat silang magkaroon ng tamang pagkilala. Sa kabilang banda, ang pagkakaroon ng dayalogo sa mga grupong ito ay atin pa ring ipagpapatuloy at pagsisikapang makamit para mas lalong maging mahusay at produktibo ang bansang Pilipinas patungo sa pagkakasundo ng bawat partido. Sa ating bayan na kinagaggalawan, ang anumang problema na bumabalot sa ating lipunan ay mga naging reflection lang ng mga kaugalian at sentimiyentong meron tayo. Ako ay naniniwala, na tayong mga Pilipino ay gustong makita na ang Pilipinas ay hindi magulo, may maayos na pamahalaan, may mga maaayos na serbisyo at programang pampubliko. Tayo ay pare-parehong mga Pilipino, hindi natin kelangang makidigma laban sa kapwa Pilipino. Ating bigyan ng puwang na ang usapang mapayapa ay magdudulot ng isang masagana at maayos na pamumuno.
show comments (1)

Manny Villar

Insurgency is a function of either ideology or poverty, or both. For this purpose, I plan to resolve this problem by addressing the issue of widespread poverty --- creating livelihood opportunities and employment, providing easier access to education, health and similar services. And I will to convince them to go back to the negotiating table so that we can reach a feasible settlement. But we must agree on a temporary ceasefire to show sincerity on both sides to discuss all issues. We cannot be talking peace while fighting is going on. And we should have confidence-building measures at various stages of the negotiations; we have to reach a compromise on contentious issues.We cannot allow however the ambush and killing of soldiers and the collection of revolutionary taxes from civilian communities with impunity. We must uphold the rule of law even as government must accelerate socio-economic development especially in Mindanao and other economically depressed areas to reduce poverty that lies at the root of armed rebellion.
show comments (4)