“I call on all members of Congress to unite and rally behind the call for an equal and reciprocal sincerity and commitment for peace from the Maoist terrorist’s CPP-NPA-NDF and jointly seeks with government that elusive peace where all of us have maintained a burning desire to attain.”
These were the words of ANAD Partylist Rep. Jun Alcover in his privilege speech during Congress plenary yesterday (January 17) when the Lower House resumed its regular session after the holiday recess,
Rep. Alcover pointed to the government’s “No Negotiation” policy with terrorists and other lawless groups. “Has government already extended the status of belligerency to the Maoist terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF when it decided to revive the peace negotiations?” he asked even as he pointed out that this policy has transcended several presidential administrations since former President Corazon Aquino.
“As a matter of right, this representation and my constituency demand an answer from President Aquino III. We should not forget ANAD shares the same interest with the leaders of government to seek peace. But this must not be at the expense of justice, fair play, and the rule of law,” he explained.
Rep. Alcover further explained saying, “Prudence and mutual respect dictates that the legitimate should, at all times, prevail over the illegitimate; and the legal should never yield to the illegal. There is only one government in this country and that is of the Republic of the Philippines. There is no revolutionary government as claimed by the Maoist terrorists. If peace is what we seek, then this must be within the framework of our constitution and the Maoist terrorist NPA must remove their firearms before the resumption of the peace negotiations,” he clarified.
“It is absurd, highly outrageous, and unacceptable for government to talk peace with the terrorist M-16 rifles foisted at our back and their fingers on the trigger, ready to squeeze it,” he added.
On the other hand, ANAD strongly condemned the haste and quickness of pace in which the Morong 43 was freed, “. . . but on the issue of compliance to established rules of procedures and jurisprudence. In short, what was at stake was the issue on the Rule of Law, existing Jurisprudence, and the established Judicial Procedure that was blatantly violated probably because of political expediency,” Rep. Alcover said.
Rep. Alcover stressed that while many think that the issue on the Morong 43 is already ‘water under the bridge’, so to speak, “. . . . on the contrary the issue must be raised in this august chamber because what happened was a blatant transgression of our laws to give way to the clamor of a few who are experts in drumbeating dirty and concocted propaganda against government,” he pointed out.-30-
Rey Salas, ANAD Spokesman
