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THE
Armed Forces dismissed on Sunday the statement of
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose
Maria Sison that he is no longer connected with the CPP
and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), saying
that it might just be a diversionary tactic on the part
of the exiled communist leader in order to avoid
prosecution.
“Well,
indeed, there had been a statement made by Sison that he
is no longer connected with the CPP-NPA-National
Democratic Front. Well, maybe this was done to protect
himself, but basically the information that we have on
the ground is that he is still recognized as the top
leader of the CPP-NPA,” Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro,
Armed Forces spokesman, said.
Last
week, Sison said in a statement that he has been out of
the communist movement, and was just acting as
consultant for the National Democratic Front in its
peace talks with the government, that the Arroyo
administration earlier scuttled.
Bacarro
said the military has proof that Sison remains with the
communist movement and still acts as its highest leader.
“We have documents that would show [that] . . . we have
proof that would show that until this very moment he is
recognized as the top leader of the CPP-NPA.”
Bacarro
said the Armed Forces even has documents proving that
the exiled former communist leader is Armando Liwanag, a
fact that he said, has been denied by Sison.
“These
were done I believe with the intent of protecting
himself but we are confident, we believe that he is
still an integral part of the organization, a very
integral part of the organization,” Bacarro added.
He said
that a proof that Sison remains with the CPP-NPA is his
issuances of communiqués to the revolutionaries on the
ground in the past.
“There
was an issuance. I think it was two three years ago . .
. [that] there is a need to escalate the conduct of
military actions against the government. Those
statements came from him … those rectifications.”
“Armando
Liwanag is definitely Joma Sison,” Bacarro said. |
