Godfrey Anthony Bañares

AB Foreign Service, FS 302

International Political Economy

Jumel G. Estrañero

February 25, 2018

Divergent and Insurgent: Disposition of and Perception to CPP & NPA

Throwing off names, titles, and labels is a dangerous thing because it creates an
impression on how people would perceive of them. How they act also creates an impression. It
is easy to discuss and determine what kind of disposition the Communist Party of the
Philippines and New People’s Army have when you’re not on their side. It is easy to say that
they are insurgents because they’re simply against the government and leads a rebellion. But, is
that what they think to themselves? Do they consider themselves as an insurgent? Belligerent?
Extremist? Or a divergent revolutionary?

There is a thin line of difference between these terms. They can be confusing.
Somehow, they can all be just faces of the same coin. On some cases these denote to different
stages of the same process.

Communist Party of the Philippines clearly takes a divergent path. They are called
‘leftist’ for a reason. CPP is a revolutionary proletarian party that looks upon the legacies of past
Philippine rebellions and revolutions from the perspective of the theories of communism. The
divergence of their ideologies to the authority and their pursuit to political revolution sums up
what insurgency is all about. Thus, we can say that they are divergent and insurgent in their
political philosophy.

No matter how peaceful that sounds, it is way more in contrast to what is actually
happening. An insurgency is a rebellion against authority when those taking part in the
rebellion are not recognized as belligerents. However, due to the hostility and violent measures
used by the New People’s Army (armed wing of CPP), their status and label of insurgency was
turned into belligerency.

The International Humanitarian Law treats insurgencies and civil wars in the internal
affairs falling within the domestic jurisdiction of our State. It may depend on the state whether
to grant recognition to a rebel group or not. However, if the rebels are granted the status of
belligerents, they shall become subjects of international law and may be responsible for their
actions. Therefore, it becomes duty of the international law to recognize belligerency once the
conditions are met.

Things went out of just peace talks and pursuit of communism, activism, or which
ideology of political economy should be followed. Continuous violent measures of NPA like
rebel recruitments, threatening of vital government facilities, clash between military forces,
intensified attacks against defenceless targets, death of innocent lives, and other hostile actions
led to creating and passing the Proclamation No. 360 of Duterte Administration. It is the formal
termination of peace negotiations with CPP-NDFP-NPA.

Founder of CPP stated that there would be more rebel attacks as an outcome of
Duterte’s decision to end the talks. The term of ‘terrorist’ rose amidst all these, and said that
it’s the label they deserve, and only deserve. The label is no fun but true to its sense. Unlawfully
using violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims
makes them terrorists. Threats to peace and inducing terror to civilians can already make them
already ‘terrorists’ so we might as well call them that as an umbrella term for what they are.

Since the government plays the most vital role in this situation, it is highly
recommended that they should prove themselves upright on what they’re doing so it’ll gain
more support from people than create more opposition. The government must continue on
keeping peace and harmony and the protection of the people from the threats of their safety
from rebel groups. Giving more job opportunities for people will also drastically help them to
refrain from joining rebel groups who promise good future. The youth are on the stage of
shaping themselves on how they will become as person, so the perception or the principles that
will be shoved into them should be virtuous. Good principles and proper knowledge should be
the appropriate things they’ll learn so they will not be easily deceived and persuaded into
joining such rebel groups. That’s one of the reasons why perception to them and its impact to
the minds of the people, especially the youth, is significant.

From labels like divergent to insurgent to belligerent to terrorist, including titles like
communist, activist, leftist, and revolutionaries, no matter what differences and similarities of
these words, it’s what they did, they’re doing, and will do that matters. Even if we think what
titles or labels appropriate to them, or if their reputation precedes them, how we act is what’s
important. No matter how definitions/labels groom vicious actions, it will always reek in its true
form. Regardless of the perception they think to themselves or what their pursuit is, the end
does not justify the means.