A Coalition Government in the Offing? By Erick San Juan

A Coalition Government in the Offing. Again? By Erick San Juan

Out of the blue, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has secretly offered President Benigno S. Aquino III, a "coalition government" that would allegedly lead to an instant ceasefire and a peace deal, with talks on political and economic reforms to follow later, said chief rebel negotiator, Luis Jalandoni (AFP-Sunday Bulletin, Sept. 4, 2011). Agence France Presse confirmed that a special Aquino envoy is pursuing "special track" talks with the rebels, suggesting it could proceed side by side with his group's formal talks with chief government negotiator, Alexander Padilla, Jalandoni added.

The reported proposal would have the rebels joining a "Council of National Unity" to advice Aquino on 'reforms' and put up 20 projects to make the country self-sufficient in food, steel and pharmaceuticals. Anyone who has read the said proposal will possibly be enticed and lured by the suggestion and the 'good' intention.

The AFP report added that Padilla reiterated that the Philippines had rejected a deal along these similar lines in 2005, but added, he could not comment on the new one. The CPP explained that the stalled talks with the government could resume with Norway's help, and suggested a limited deal that the communist party would swiftly end the decades long insurgency.

Why is this former Jesuit priest, Luis Jalandoni, seems so sure that this time the coalition government will prosper? The talk-talk-talk with the so called leaders of the insurgents has been for decades and had been a "talk-fight" for more than 20 years. With whom is the government dealing now, with the National Democratic Front or with the Communist Party?

It reminded me of my previous talks with some of the progressive leaders and nationalists in the past as to how did the Communist Party of the Philiipines and the New People's Army became part of the umbrella organization of the Jesuit inspired, National Democratic Front. A top honcho of the party was shocked to my query and told me that due to haste during that time of transition, there was really no approval from the Politburo in recognizing the NDF. It is like magic that the NDF was rapidly known worldwide. Is there a falling out between Jalandoni and Joma Sison this time? He has been so quiet for a long time. Or, is the NDF already burn out that it's funding is not really coming from the Philippine insurgents but from a religious order vying for the world control through liberation theology?

To internationalize the issue, the Norway government was requested to be a mediator. Norway is a credibly rich nation where socialism is considered a perfect model of society but we're not Norway and we're so divided. The government and the CPP meeting was allegedly brokered by Norway in February and Jalandoni floated that this peace talk could be a breakthrough where both sides 'agreed' to speed up the peace process.


Jalandoni with his wife, Coni, a former liberation theologist nun, upon arrival from abroad met with the progressive leaders at the National Council of Churches of the Philippines in Quezon city and talked about the 'good news' regarding the resumption of the peace talks and want to pressure the PNoy government to release the 13 NDFP consultants under Jasig.


Today and tomorrow, Jalandoni will reportedly meet with Padilla with the special envoy from Norway, dispatched to Manila to allegedly solve the obstacles. Jalandoni believes that the peace accord will be sealed on or before June, 2012.

Here we go again! Have we forgotten the mistakes of the late President Corazon Aquino? The said “coalition” government was hatched during her watch. During that period, Filipinos were basically divided into two colors. The RED, represented by the Marcos camp and the YELLOW by the Cory regime. During that time, the Armed Forces (AFP) was destroyed by the progressives in the media, exposing the graft and corruptions in the service, human rights violation, etc. The same issues can be found in our dailies today, exposing the graft and corruption within the AFP and the PNP like the Rabusa expose's, the helicopter deal, etc. where both institutions are being destroyed and weakened. Thus, the morality of our soldiers and law enforcers were affected. Politicians and former AFP and police officers turned politicians became witting and unwitting tool to expose their former comrades and enemies.

After the failed coup of then Col. Gringo Honasan in August, 1987, the NDF and the Cory government almost coalesced but was aborted by our patriots within the media and the armed forces. God forbid, that the evil-genius clique from the said religious congregation and it's agenda will not fly. Will it be a September to Remember or the August Moon of the Chinese calendar? PNoy should really be careful. Scary indeed!