MANILA, Philippines – The government has formally made its first step to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) a terrorist organization, pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier proclamation.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed on Wednesday, February 21, a petition before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) seeking to declare the CPP-NPA as terrorists citing Republic Act 9372 as The Human Security Act of 2007.

The petition, signed by Senior Associate State Prosecutor Peter Ong, accused the CPP-NPA of having an “evil plan of imposing a totalitarian regime.”

This is a bitter end to the peace talks that President Duterte resumed when he took over the presidency. The talks have since collapsed, although the National Democratic Front or NDF’s legal counsels said the talks cannot be considered officially terminated if there is no mutual agreement.

“The CPP and NPA are merely buying time by deceiving the Philippine government in entering into peace talks, while their main purpose is to mobilize all their forces in preparation for the people’s war aimed at overthrowing the duly constituted authority, seizing control of the Philippine government and imposing a totalitarian regime,” the DOJ said in its petition.

A Manila court has ordered the re-arrest  of NDF consultants Benito Tiamzon, his wife Wilma Tiamzon, as well as Adelberto Silva. This was after the DOJ canceled their bail. They were set free by Duterte to join the peace talks.

NDF consultant Rafael Baylosis was arrested last January 31 over charges of illegal possession of firearms. – Rappler.com