Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro was quick to dismiss any possibility of resuming peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP. This rejection comes while the blood from the Toboso 19 massacre is barely dry, yet the anti-peace stance was backed by the rigid concurrence of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and Philippine Army Spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala.

It has become all too apparent that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), as the mercenaries of the fascist US-Marcos Jr regime, is not sincere in its so-called ‘commitment of protecting the Filipino people’. It reveals its true nature as they prefer the roars of howitzers over alleviating the conditions of the Negrosanon people, especially those coming from the peasant sector. The DND and the AFP are peace spoilers of the nation.

The motivation behind their visceral allergy toward peace talks is transparent: a seat at the negotiating table necessitates a discussion on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER). This is designed to address root causes of the armed conflict, including landlessness and the lack of industry in the country. None of the demands written in this interests the big landlords, comprador bourgeoisie, and the imperialist US because granting this would mean less profit for them. As the loyal dogs of the ruling class and the protectors of the status quo, it is not difficult to understand why the AFP, PNP, and its force multipliers in the face of traitors and blue guards, are obsessed with wagging their tails to keep their masters undisturbed.

Additionally Teodoro’s claim that Negros is “at peace” is not only laughable but a cruel insult to the masses.

Is it peaceful when farmers in Negros remain landless, subjected to severe exploitation, and killed the moment they raise legitimate demands? Is it peaceful when workers suffer under poor working conditions only to receive a measly amount of wage and be redtagged the moment they join unions to fight for their rights?

The “peace” the reactionary government brags about is the suffocating silence of the haciendas due to the culture of impunity in the island. It is the peace of the graveyard of those who once open their mouth and sing the song of truth. We must remember that real peace isn’t just the absence of war; it is the presence of justice.

We must understand, through the lens of history and material reality, that where there is oppression, there is resistance. When the state closes all doors to diplomatic redress and responds to the cry for bread with bullets, it proves that the semi-colonial and semi-feudal system in the country needs to be toppled down. In the face of such systemic landlessness and state-sponsored terrorism, armed struggle ceases to be a mere choice, it becomes a historical necessity.

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