“At any rate, it looks like only the communists would have gained anything if the ‘peace talks’ with the Duterte administration materialized.”

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chieftain Jose Ma. Sison, who is enjoying a life in luxurious exile in Ultrecht in The Netherlands, appears to be disappointed that talks between his group and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte will not push through as earlier anticipated. To save face, Sison recently said it was easier to overthrow the Duterte administration than to talk peace with it.

Actually, the government did right by not pushing through with the so-called “peace talks” with the local communists.

First, historical record shows “peace talks” with communist rebels will never get anywhere. There is always a breach on the part of the communists, on the lame excuse the government cannot be trusted.

Second, communist rebels get a lot of publicity mileage in the news media each time “peace talks” are on the agenda, and especially when such “peace talks” do take place.

Third, the “peace talks” with communist rebels are a waste of government funds. Back in September 2016, “peace talks” were held in Norway, with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista attending the same for the government panel.

Nothing happened after that expensive junket which cost the Filipino people millions of pesos.

Besides, what was Bautista doing in that panel? Local government officials are not allowed to undertake government work outside of local government duties.

Earlier in November 2015, the Philippine government under President Benigno Aquino III had sent a delegation of 48 officials to the International Court of Arbitration at The Hague in The Netherlands to attend the hearing on the arbitration case concerning the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea between Manila and Beijing. Sending 48 individuals to a useless junket in The Netherlands definitely cost the Filipino taxpayers millions of pesos which went to plane fares, stipends, meals and hotel accommodations.

It was a waste of money because only a few officials like the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Solicitor General and the Defense Secretary needed to attend that hearing. The Philippines was already duly represented by a panel of American lawyers who are experts in Public International Law. In other words, everyone in the Philippine delegation, outside of the three mentioned above, went on a government-paid junket to Europe.

In particular, three members of that delegation – then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, then House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and then Political Affairs Secretary Ronald Llamas – were not needed there. Some of them gave the excuse they were there also to talk to communist leaders like Sison. If that is so, then that supposed visit to Sison was fruitless and, to repeat, a waste of public funds.

De Lima is now a senator serving her term in detention. Belmonte can only reminisce the glory days of his abusive and now moribund Liberal Party, currently headed by a politician who thinks she should be president. Llamas is no longer in power. Back in January 2012, Llamas had to publicly apologize for buying pirated digital video discs (DVD) at a Quezon City mall. His master, then President Aquino, tried in vain to save Llamas by claiming his underling was just passing by the mall.

At any rate, it looks like only the communists would have gained anything if the “peace talks” with the Duterte administration materialized. This is clear from numerous streamers seen in the metropolis which all herald the Reds’ demand to “resume peace talks now.”

The communist rebellion is financed by money obtained by communist cadres in the countryside who extort “revolutionary taxes” from factories and industries that are vulnerable to harassment. Businesses that pay the “protection money” demanded by the Reds are spared from sabotage. Those that do not pay face the risk of property damage.

During every election season, communist cadres extort “campaign fees” from candidates, in exchange for undisturbed campaigning in “communist-influenced territories.”

In turn, the bulk of that money is sent to “revolutionary leaders” in The Netherlands to support Sison and his entourage. The scraps are given to the local cadres to finance the local insurgency.

Indeed, the “revolutionary taxes” demanded by the Reds are no different from the so-called “protection money” extorted by the Italian mafia which operated in America in the 1930s and the 1940s.

To destroy communism in the countryside, President Duterte must put an end to the “revolutionary taxes” extortion racket of the Reds. More military camps must be established near industrial zones and their presence must be felt by everybody in the area.

Instead of paying “revolutionary taxes,” big industries can help shoulder the expenses in building these camps.

Troublesome foreigners like Sister Patricia Fox, the Australian nun who violated her missionary visa each time she joined political rallies, should be kicked out of the country.

That will discourage potential troublemakers from mocking Philippine immigration laws.

Official expenses of party-list legislators identified with the Left should be audited thoroughly. Government funds, even those allotted for politicians, should never fall into the hands of rebels who are out to topple the government.

Citizens who care for freedom should avoid being associated with organizations which are fronts for communist rabble rousers and like-minded agitators.

Activities of Communist Chinese nationals sojourning in the Philippines must be monitored zealously. Local corporations ostensibly owned by Filipinos but are actually operated by Communist Chinese businessmen, must be exposed.

It’s time public money is not wasted on those useless “peace talks” with communist rebels.