Is the President also thinking of causing the arrest or annihilation of his bunkmate, Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III for being a Commie? Seems like it as the President inspite of his former announcement several days ago opening the possibility of peace talks between him and the Netherland exiles led by his former professor Jose Maria Sison again lambasted the Communists for being “terrorists.” In the anniversary of the Philippine Army, Duterte once more showed how he literally worships these men in uniform by ordering them to destroy to smithereens the terrorist enemies of the state, and that includes probably Bello whom you always refer to as a “Communist”?

So, what now, ha, Mr. President? After sending your close friend to the Netherlands to lay down the conditions of GRP-CPP-NPA talks what has been achieved so far?

Well, Bello just succeeded in convincing the Communists to talk with government in a “neutral country.” Instead of the plan to convince Joma to go home and talk things here, Bello’s achievement is simply place the life of a President in the hands of a neutral country while talking shit with enemies of the state. That it is entirely important for a President of a state to heed an aging insurgent’s request to talk shit in a neutral country.

Makes sense if indeed the Communists are really getting stronger, but AFP pronouncements show the contrary. The AFP says they are winning the war, with almost 10,000 out of the 11 million card carrying members of the CPP-NPA-NDF already enjoying their sweet life in the boondocks, courtesy of lands given by government as part of the balik buhay program of the AFP.

So, which, really is the truth? Are we negotiating because government is being severely hit by the relentless attacks and assaults undertaken by the Communists? Or government is just trying to position itself as a goody goody promoter of peace worthy of a Nobel?

The public was made to understand by no less than Presidential spokesperson Sal Panelo that Sison has something to share or tell his former student, Duterte, and that probably provoked the president to re-open the talks.  It is no secret that Duterte harbors this illusion of being a Socialist as well, even though he knows absolutely nothing of it except mouthing several slogans which he probably picked up when he heard them being spewed out in rallies fronting San Beda, his alma mater.

I don’t really understand why both septuagenarians are spending precious time and monies to talk when there is simply nothing to talk about. Why is Sison still trusting this president when, time and again, Duterte has shown his utmost detest against these revolutionaries.

And, why is Duterte still trying to re-open what he has permanently ended when he, along with several of his hawks, harbor ill-will and distrusts these Commies.

Both camps has shown insincerity and under these circumstances, negotiating something when both sides feel that nothing would amount to these talks, is, simply wasting public funds.

I am beginning to feel that the only reason why the President suddenly re-opened the talks is just a ruse to protect his bunkmate, Bello, from being accused of spending monies to finance his foreign trips.

Really, now, you can’t fault anybody from thinking this way considering that for all the years Bello had spent talking, dining, and negotiating with the Sison group, the public got nothing, absolutely nothing.

The insurgency rages in the countrysides and expect this to even worsen as poverty afflicts thousands more farming families. I am not even discounting Mindanao as possibly would still be the biggest headache this administration would face by next year, simply due to the lack of government attention to the plight of the Bangsamoros. Yes, a transitional governing body is now tending the needs of the Filipino Muslims, but, unfortunately, a radicalized section of the young Muslim youth is beginning to spread an alternative viewpoint similar to the ones espoused by their elders, especially Salamat Hashim who dreamt of an independent Bangsamoro homeland when he was still alive.

Mindanao, the Visayas and even pockets in Luzon would sure test the resiliency and strength of the Armed Forces as hundreds of youths and disfranchised agricultural workers turn their sights into fighting this government which dealt them their most severest of tests in the economic front.

The radicalization of this generation is turning very serious, and Bello, like the rest of ’em, simply dismisses this. That explains why he approaches this in his lackadaisical manner, never ever suggesting new approaches so that at least the public may have something to hope for.