GRP “no ceasefire” declaration puts peasants at risk

Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on December 18 said the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) will not declare a ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army, and National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) this holiday season. This comes after a December 17 statement with the CPP declaring that it “cannot declare a holiday ceasefire in the face of the Marcos regime’s relentless war of suppression, offensive military operations and imposition of martial law in the countryside.” The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemns Teodoro and his rabid hounds in the AFP that openly ignore the grounds of the CPP’s non-declaration and instead reiterate its inhumane crusade that primarily targets farmers under its supposed counterinsurgency operations.

A no ceasefire declaration from the perpetrators of Human Rights Violations (HRVs) is only the punctuation for the AFP’s campaign of terror and bloodshed against peasants for the current year. On the 18th of June, the 80th Infantry Battalion conducted rogue operations against farmer-residents of Brgy. Tungkong Mangga in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. This targeted KMP Secretary General Ronnie Manalo and raided his home and planted arms and explosives, and has caused continued terror, red-tagging, and coercion among the residents as the 80th IB encamped on their communities in the succeeding months. In September, the 2nd Infantry Battalion falsely claimed to have seized guns and other weapons for warfare from the two farmers it killed in Bangay Simawa, Uson, Masbate this September 26. Earlier this month, soldiers shot and arrested two coconut farmers in San Narciso, Quezon in the charade of a fake encounter between the AFP and the NPA. Many more cases in this year alone place the peasantry in the line of fire of the military instead of what they claim as legitimate battles with revolutionary fighters.

Teodoro, a stalwart government attack dog, also served in the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime as Department of National Defense Secretary from 2007-2009, campaigned to justify brutal excesses in military actions such as bombings in Mindanao, and the notorious Oplan Bantay Laya — which killed 561 peasants in the bloodiest counterinsurgency campaign in the country to date. With re-appointing Teodoro as Defense secretary, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not wash himself off the blood that remained on the presidential seat left by Rodrigo Duterte and has evidently maintained to commit HRVs against farmers. 72 out of 105 extrajudicial killings under the Marcos Jr. regime are of farmers, while 7 out of 15 enforced disappearances come from farmers as well.

While the country is seeing a downfall trend regarding food security, caused by neoliberal policies and massive importations, amid the congruent hostilities on food producers, the government has absurdly doubled down on its efforts to buttress its funding to perpetuate fascist attacks against the people. The 2025 National Budget has earmarked a whopping ₱ 271.92 billion to the Department of National Defense, a ₱ 17.8 billion increase from the ₱ 254.12 billion proposal.

“Ang pamasko ng mga nasa gobyerno sa mga mamamayan ay hindi ginhawa kundi bala at pananakot sa mga komunidad sa kanayunan. History has proven na tanging dahas lang ang alam na tugon ng mga nasa poder sa harap ng malawakang kagutuman at pagkalugmok sa kahirapan”, said KMP Chairperson Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos. “Sabi ni Teodoro “Jurassic” ang mga rebolusyonaryong grupo, ngunit siya ang tunay na inaalikabok na at makaluma sa pagpanatili niya sa umiiral na atrasadong kaayusan ng lipunan kung saan wala paring lupa ang mga magsasaka”, he added.

In January 2024, Marcos Jr. ‘s declared that there are “no more active NPA guerrilla fronts” while Ernesto Torres Jr. of the NTF-ELCAC’s December 2024 statement said that there is “only one guerilla front” left. These inconsistencies marked in official government announcements only reveal an orchestrated tactic of deceit and disinformation against the Filipino people, belittling the people’s struggle for the basic demand for land.

Since 2018, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has for every year vowed to “crush” the NPA by the end of the year, only failing to do so.

KMP denounces this pronouncement of aggression against the Filipino people, and calls for vigilance among peasants and peasant advocates all over the world to observe any heightened acts of violence from the AFP during the holiday season. KMP clamors for genuine land reform to address roots of armed conflict for a truly just and lasting peace. ##