Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday rejected calls to revive peace negotiations with communist rebels, saying such talks would legitimize groups he described as responsible for violence.
Speaking to reporters in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Teodoro dismissed appeals from former negotiators to reopen dialogue with the New People’s Army (NPA), asserting that the country is already at peace and that insurgents are the ones disrupting it.
“The Filipinos are at peace. They are the ones disturbing that peace,” he said.
Teodoro added that engaging the group in negotiations would elevate their cause to a level of legitimacy he considers unacceptable.
His remarks came amid renewed calls to resume talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines–NPA–National Democratic Front (NDF) following a deadly clash in Negros Occidental that left 19 suspected rebels dead. Reports indicated that those killed included two individuals linked to the University of the Philippines, two minors, and a community journalist.
The defense chief said incidents attributed to the group, including armed encounters and alleged harm to civilians, underscore why the government should not return to the negotiating table.
Peace talks between the government and communist groups were formally terminated under the Duterte administration, which cited a lack of sincerity from rebel leaders in pursuing a lasting agreement.
Meanwhile, the government’s anti-insurgency task force said the NPA’s strength has significantly declined over the decades, from an estimated 25,000 fighters in the 1980s to around 780 today, reflecting sustained military and development efforts.