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Arroyo to Reds: Avail of amnesty or face military might


Avail of amnesty or face military might. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo presented this choice to members of the Philippine communist movement, as she reiterated the government's resolve to end the communist rebellion in the country. In a speech delivered at a peace forum in Malacañang, the President on Wednesday evening said it is high time to stop the communist movement’s “ideological nonsense" and stem the decades-long rebellion being waged by the group. Mrs Arroyo said communist rebels – which she tagged as a “low-level threat" – are responsible for a wide range of human rights abuses and impede the progress and development of a number of rural areas. “If we are to become a modernized country, we have to put a stop to their ideological nonsense and their criminal acts once and for all. It is either amnesty or military solution. Whichever way, Communist rebellion must be stopped," Mrs Arroyo said. “The military solution is our last option, but we are prepared to wield this option when peace is broken, non-combatants cower in fear and development initiatives are halted," she added. On September 6, President Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1377 granting amnesty to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing – the 6,300-strong New People’s Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front which groups the CPP-NPA and several other underground organizations, and other communist rebel groups. The proclamation said those who will avail of the amnesty will be given “access to the government’s existing socio-economic services, are essential to attaining peace and reconciliation in the country." In her speech, Mrs Arroyo noted that the government earmarked P500 million for the amnesty project to “strengthen peace and security" in the regions. The President, however, stressed that the amnesty will “not apply to terrorist groups." “I guarantee the leftist insurgents willing to turn their guns into plowshares and respect the rule of law another opportunity to regain normal life under (the amnesty program)," the President said. “But I must emphasize that amnesty shall not apply to terrorist groups whose violence and treacherous deeds can never be countenanced as arising from legitimate political struggle," she added. - GMANews.TV

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