Duterte has never been an ally of the revolutionary movement — Joma Sison

(BMP – Free Philippines News Agency)
PRESS RELEASE
18 September 2017

The revolutionary movement has never been in alliance or in united front with Duterte and he has never been an ally of the revolutionary movement.

This was stressed by Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) negotiating panel, during brief remarks* at the reopening of the National Democratic Front International Information Office in Utrecht, The Netherlands last September 15, 2017.

Professor Sison explained that comrades in Mindanao, particulary in the southern Mindanao region which covers Davao City, have aptly described Duterte a bureaucrat capitalist – a politician who creates private wealth for himself using his public office. According to Sison, Mindanao comrades have described Duterte as capable of saying and doing anything that is left, middle or right, depending on what serves him from moment to moment.

Professor Sison said some people mistakenly understood that the effort to promote the peace negotiations (between the Duterte regime and the NDFP) already involves a working alliance. The Duterte regime, Sison said, offered as many as four cabinet posts to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) publicly, but Sison said the CPP cannot accept any government position while there are talks. But he said, Duterte could appoint patriotic and progressive individuals who are highly qualified, honest and diligent.

“There was never a united front deal. As a matter of fact, Duterte doesn’t want a coalition government but only an inclusive government under his leadership. It is by way of undertaking goodwill measure that the NDFP recommended meritorious individuals,” Professor Sison emphasized.

Sison assailed some reactionary political forces who claim that the revolutionary movement has been in alliance with Duterte and trying to blame the movement for the human rights violations committed by Duterte.

Sison dismissed as fantastic Duterte’s claim that there is a “Duterte faction” within the revolutionary movement.

Sison admitted there was a recommendation to the NDFP to entertain Duterte as a possible ally. But he explained the recommendation is conditional to the peace negotiations.

On the broad united front against the Duterte regime, Sison said the revolutionary movement is ready to work with a broad united front of various political forces, including reactionaries who are against the reactionary Duterte regime which is now considered to be the enemy. He said the most important reactionaries that can result in the quick ouster of Duterte would be the military and police officers and units, who would turn against Duterte. (Gregoria Magbanua)#