PH to file petition labeling NPA terror group soon

FILE: Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. (PCOO Photo)

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Thursday announced that Philippine government will submit its petition labeling the New People’s Army (NPA) a terror group soon.

“Hopefully in the coming week it will be filed because meron palang (apparently there is a) last-minute consultation with the Office of the Executive Secretary as well as other intelligence services of the government,” Aguirre said in a Palace briefing.

The justice secretary said he expects a “full-blown” trial on the government petition to categorize NPA as terror organization.

“It is a full-blown trial, I believe. That’s why hindi pwede mamadali, hindi pwede madaliin (It cannot be rushed). They have to gather all the instances where terroristic activities could be attributed to the NPAs,” he added.

Asked whether he thinks the reds will start up a fight amid the looming trials, Aguirre answered, “I believe so, ayaw nga nila na nasasabihan sila na (They don’t want anyone to tell them that) they are engaged in terrorism.”

President Rodrigo Duterte on December 2017 signed a proclamation labeling the communist rebels as terrorists, mentioning as basis Republic Act (RA) No. 10168, or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

This declaration comes after Duterte called off peace negotiations with the left-wing organizations last November due to a string of rebel attacks on government forces.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, however, said that the process will still have to go through the courts.

“The [Department of Justice] is hereby directed to immediately file the necessary application for the prescription or the declaration of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization with the appropriate Regional Trial Court,” Roque said.

“So because of the proclamation, the [Justice] Secretary was directed by the Executive Secretary to file a petition in the RTC because it is not automatic that just because the executive has classified the group as a terrorist organization it will be considered as a terrorist organization under the domestic law and under relevant security council resolutions,” the Palace official added.