As long as the state continues to paint them as enemies while refusing to address their concerns on society's injustices, rebels waging one of the world's longest-running Maoist insurgencies have no choice but to stay underground, labor leader Leody de Guzman said Tuesday.
Facing off with some of his rivals for the presidency, including Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., de Guzman drew from his experience as a long-time labor rights activist and said the insurgents should be considered as revolutionaries, not terrorists.
"Kailangan talaga natin magkaroon ng isang matinong pag-uusap para mangyari ang peace talk at matigil na itong digmaan sa ating sariling bansa sa pagitan ng mga kapwa Pilipino. Pero irecognize natin na mayroong rebolusyon dito sa ating bansa, may mga pag-aalsa at yung mga pag-aalsang yan ay resulta ng inhustisya sa ating bansa," he said.
The communist rebellion exists due to unmet demands on agrarian reform, lack of basic social services, contractualization and extra-judicial killings, among others, said de Guzman.
"Tingin ko walang tao na gustong lumaban ng armado sa gobyerno na full battle gear— kumpleto ng armas, tangke, lahat-lahat. Pero umabot sa ganon. Dahil 'yung kasaysayan ng ating bansa ay puro panunupil at gumagamit ng dahas, pumapatay," de Guzman said.
Marcos Jr.'s late dictator father and namesake, Ferdinand Marcos, had used the communist rebellion as one of the bases for declaring martial law in 1972, during which $10 billion in public funds were embezzled, according to government records.
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While peace talks between government and rebels have been happening across adminstrations, De Guzman said "honest to goodness" negotiations have yet to happen.
"Alisan natin ng dahilan para sila ay mag-armas. Pero kung hindi natin tutugunan 'yung mga kahilingan nila na kinikilala naman ng lahat na pumasok sa peace talk, at gusto lang natin utuin at ibaba 'yung kanilang armas, ay hindi mangyayari yun. Magtutuloy-tuloy ang pag-aalsa ng mamamayan," he said.
Should he win, De Guzman said he would abolish the NTF-ELCAC that has been accused of red-tagging civilians. He would push for an overhaul of the country's economic and political system to address the root of the insurgency problem.
"'Yung inhustisya sa ating bansa ay iresolve, yung justice system natin. Hindi justice system ng mga may pera lamang. Pagka may pera ka, ligtas ka. Pag mahirap ka, kulong ka. Kung ganyang ang magpapatuloy, hindi mareresolve ang problem. Kaya yung sistema ng edukasyon, hindi dapat sa may pera lamang. 'Yung kalusugan, pagpapaospital, hindi lamang sa may pera. Kahit yung eleksyon, hindi lamang dapat sa may mga pera," he said.
"Kailangan 'yung buong sistema ng pulitika at ekonomiya ay maging sistema ng pulitika at ekonomiya ng lahat ng mamamayan. Kapag nangyari 'yan, kahit hindi tayo makipag peace talk, tingin ko, dito sa mga kapatid natin na naga-armas, magbibitaw ng armas yan dahil mawawalan na ng dahilan sila para maghawak ng armas," he added.
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