ANAD dares Maoist
terrorists to reciprocate government with sincerity and commitment for
peace
Press Release
January
18, 2011
QUEZON CITY – “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.