DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. firmly dismissed any possibility of peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), believing such gestures only gratify the insurgency’s cause.
“The call to have peace talks was misplaced... as it would only empower the enemies of the government. And we have learned from the past elections that these peace talks were not held properly,” Teodoro said in an interview on the 45th Founding Anniversary of the 5th Infantry (Star) Division of the Philippine Army in Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz, Upi, Gamu, Isabela, on Saturday.
In previous interviews, Teodoro branded the armed wing of the CPP as “plain and simple terrorism” and said its call for peace talks “elevates the morality of their cause to something legitimate,” which he said he cannot accept.
He said such peace talks are a substitute for our regular political processes that comply with the vast majority of our countrymen.
Teodoro previously said the country is already at peace and the insurgents are the ones disrupting it.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the number of NPA members had significantly declined over the years.
According to the AFP, government forces have “neutralized” 625 NPA members and supporters from Jan. 1 to May 7 this year.
Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the figure includes rebels who surrendered, were arrested, or were killed in military operations.
“From this number, 548 surrendered, 28 were apprehended, and 49 were killed in military operations,” Padilla said in an interview.
She said the trend reflects how many remaining NPA members are now choosing peace over conflict.
For the whole of 2025, the AFP said 2,018 NPA members and supporters were neutralized nationwide.
