National Security Council (NSC) Adviser Eduardo SL Oban Jr. on Tuesday firmly rejected any move to revive national-level peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), saying such talks no longer reflect the will or interests of the Filipino people.

In a strongly worded statement, Oban backed Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., affirming that reopening talks with what he described as a “spent, isolated, and criminal armed group” would undermine hard-won gains in peace and development.

“The Filipino people are not asking for a return to negotiations that have historically been abused,” Oban said. “What they demand are tangible improvements in their lives—security, livelihoods, justice, and protection from violence.”

The NSC chief stressed that decades of negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF have failed to produce lasting peace. Instead, the government said, these engagements were repeatedly used by the insurgent movement as a “tactical instrument for recovery,” allowing it to regroup and sustain operations while projecting political legitimacy.

Oban recalled that since the time of former President Corazon Aquino, successive peace initiatives were allegedly exploited to rebuild underground networks and maintain influence in vulnerable communities, even as armed units continued extortion, recruitment, and violent activities.

He warned that reviving national-level talks at this stage would only provide a “veneer of credibility” to an insurgency that has significantly declined on the ground. He added that communities once affected by conflict have increasingly rejected the NPA and are now embracing governance, development, and democratic participation.

“These gains were not negotiated in foreign venues or handed down through formal talks,” he said. “They were built by communities themselves—through courage, partnership with government, and a shared commitment to move beyond decades of armed struggle.”

Instead of returning to national negotiations, the NSC highlighted the government’s shift toward localized peacebuilding efforts through mechanisms such as the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, working alongside local government units.

These initiatives, Oban said, focus on addressing the root causes of conflict at the community level—delivering basic services, strengthening institutions, and supporting reintegration programs for former rebels.

“The door remains open for individuals who sincerely renounce armed struggle,” Oban noted. “But the State cannot and must not elevate criminal and terrorist activities into a legitimate political cause through another round of national-level talks.”

He concluded by underscoring that the government’s priority is the protection and welfare of citizens, not the rehabilitation of armed groups that continue to threaten peace.

“The Philippine State is not at war with its people,” Oban said. “It is protecting its people from those who persist in spoiling the peace.”