The turnaround this Christmas was totally unexpected. The president was probably giving the rebels the last chance to politically settle the insurgency problem before moving decisively to strategically defeat the rebel group. By Manny Mogato
President Duterte must learn from the experiences of the late president Ferdinand Marcos who had favored a military solution to the communist rebellion in the 1970s. By Manny Mogato
On Thursday, the newly installed Armed Forces chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Noel Clement, complained about the media attention given to the self-exiled founder and leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), who has warned that the military’s human rights record could worsen under the new military chief. By Manny Mogato
The more ex-generals joining his Cabinet and getting other executive positions, the greater the influence these generals have on Duterte’s policies, particularly on dealing with Communist rebels. There are now signs the ex-generals are putting pressure on the president to reverse his China policy. By Manny Mogato
The only way to address the problem is to remove the root causes of insurgency. Bring the government closer to the people, crack down on corruption, observe the rule of law and make the justice system work. Improve the qualify of life by removing inequality and providing equal opportunity. By Manny Mogato