Name: Haniel Oliver L.

Alvarez
Subject: International Political Economy
Date:February 25, 2018
Proffesor: Jumel G. Estrañero

“Insurgency in the Philippines: Current State of those Left Behind”

In a world full of chaos, misunderstanding, inequality and discrimination there are those who
are neglected while those who should be responsible for order and justice are turning a blind eye.
This kind of leadership where those who are at the top are only doing their job for self-interest has
misshapen our world that is the cause of insurgency. A violent movement within the state that is
against the government and are trying to overthrow it due to a specified purpose which is to either
have a new rule or radicals who only wants chaos and these are belligerent rebellions, revolt,
revolutions that inflict harm within our country. These insurgencies are established due to corrupt
governance that the people which are not given the proper rights and privileges and are deprived
from opportunities that those who are well off have are enticed to revolt. Headed with a philosophy
that if the state wouldn’t be fair, and are not able to attend to the needs of the mass most
importantly those in the bottom and indigenous parts of the country then they don’t have the right
to rule so belligerent revolutions and rebellions are taking into place to overthrow those at the top
to create a society from ashes and rebuild a more ideal state for everybody, and they do that by
means of opposition to the authority.
Terrorists are those who inflicts fear to those around them through intentionally indiscriminate
violence and this a very serious issue handled not only by states themselves but is a global issue
in the international arena. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) which has been fighting
a guerilla war against the Philippines’ state since the late 1960’s has been a huge problem and
source of conflict within the country where an underground political organization is taken into
place since it was founded. Indeed CPP is a terrorist group which emits fear and inflicts chaos to
the state, it is a spreading disease that has to be cured, it is not the best course of action but for
the welfare of the majority the administration has no choice. Meanwhile the New People’s Army
associated with the CPP which is a growing group of rebels recruiting young people and teaching
them to hate the government is spreading all over our country wherein President Rodrigo Duterte
finally terminated their peace talks to their legal front and ceasefire being resumed due to attacks
on government forces. We may consider a Civil War happening right now and we aren’t even
aware of it, our President has did his part in the diplomatic way but now this means of action are
unacceptable and is tearing our country apart.
The New People’s army had been deployed by the National Democratic Front of the
Philippines (NDFP) wherein in it has gained the status of belligerency by virtue of their
revolutionary armed struggle and hard work in building the organs of political power based on the
Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Protocol I of 1977. The New People’s army have attained the
status of belligerency in their current state although if civilians are being harmed which is against
the rule of law in the International Humanitarian Law they will be considered as terrorists which
are illegal and out of the jurisdiction of the IHL and indeed our current administration is considering
NPA as a terrorist group. NPA which has communism as their main political thought and activism
which they are eager for change is very rampant in their community. Through these they believe
that a society where all properties are public and each person who works are paid accordingly to
their needs and abilities is a dream society a place where everyone gets what the deserve.
Wherein it is the opposite of what we have today activists thrive for change but the power of
capitalism is still well loved by our society where the rich get richer but unfortunately the poor just
gets poorer, a society full of inequality for them that is what they want to change.
In the light of our political economy what the NPA wants is realistic but looking on a larger
picture it is absurd to change the second wave’s flow which has been growing throughout the
course of time, still it is more practical for capitalism to continue and those revolutionaries should
at the same time be taken into consideration and not taken lightly where an agreement should be
adhered to or else war will continue. The NPA has been continuing to force their principles and
actions with a self-righteous belief that they are doing it for the sake of the needy and powerless
but since they started about 30,000 people had already been killed and even their number has
decreased drastically from 26,000 to mere 5,000 more or less still they are firm and continues to
be a nuisance to the welfare of the general mass up until today where guerilla warfare is ongoing
and numerous civilians are being caught up into the war and their lives taken and endangered.
Now since President Duterte canceled the unilateral ceasefire against the Maoist rebels where
they tried to end violence on the ground and restore peace in the land is what Duterte wants but
due to deception the agreement is canceled and even the rebel groups are not happy about it
where the NPA had nonstop attacks across the country.
These are what is left behind a small spark that had been neglected and taken for granted
across the years where people’s needs are not properly addressed to, that is when rebellion is
given place. Now what is left for us to do? Is war the means to and end? Or is diplomatic conquest
still applicable in this cases? I am no expert on deciding what is the best means to end this conflict
but I will say this a life is precious take care of and it will prosper and propagate across the world
to give joy and happiness but once it is not rejected and apprehended a life that is for granted is
the start of a life that will end life just to achieve what it takes for a better future. We need
cooperation and understanding throughout the country an administration that will care for the
mass but still but the minority into consideration. A world where there is no conflict is a world
without true peace because will only know peace through war and to achieve it we must persevere
to reach it.
REFERENCES:

https://www.globalvillagespace.com/hard-realist-duterte-vs-new-peoples-army-npa-the-political-
discourse-of-insurgency-and-new-terrorism/
https://casebook.icrc.org/case-study/philippines-application-ihl-national-democratic-front-
philippines
https://www.britannica.com/topic/belligerency
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/npa.htm
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/tag/npa-recruitment
http://www.manilatimes.net/military-braces-heightened-np…/…/
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/your_say/30333586
http://news.abs-cbn.com/…/14-npa-rebels-killed