Statement of Prof. Jose Maria Sison
NDFP Chief Poliitcal Consultant
May 26, 2017

As chief political consultant of the NDFP, I deplore the reported statementof DND Secretary Lorenzana that the NPA is also a target of Mindanao-wide martial law.

The GRP side has clarified that the NPA is not a target. In fact President Duterte himself told Fidel Agcaoili in their recent meeting that the GRP and NDFP should unite against terrorist groups like the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf.

We in the NDFP are together with the GRP in opposing and fighting the ISIS-affiliated and CIA-supported groupslike the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf.

We in the NDFP condemn the attack by Maute group on Marawi City. Earlier NDFP-Mindanao condemned this attack and expressed the deepest concern andsolidariy for the people of Marawi city.
The terrorist act by theMaute group should not be an obstacle to the fifth round of formal talks but should be an incentive to the GRP and NDFP to meet and agree tofight groups that are terrorist because they target, terrorize and harm civilians solely or mainly.

The NDFP Negotiating Panel has recommended to the National Executive Committee of the NDFP andin effect the Central Committee of the CPP to reconsider the order to the NPA to intensify tactical offensives as response to the Lorenzana statement that the NPA is a target of martial law.