Peace is our preferred strategy at this point in history because this is the moral, humane, practical thing to do. Ms Macapagal reiterated that the government s main enemy was no longer the communist and Moro rebels but kidnappers and smugglers. Kidnapping, a major problem in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, has become a national issue again after the murder of four young victims over the past month. Amid reported misgivings by the military brass, the President has moved swiftly to unwind the hardline approach of her predecessor Joseph Estrada. The NPA s political wing, the National Democratic Front, is to start peace talks with the government on April 27.
Muslim rebels have yet to agree to the holding of talks.
Thus do not be surprised if in your service for internal security, you will be brought not necessarily to the hinterlands and to the mountains, but rather to the concrete jungle and to the waterfront. She said the new strategy would free up government resources and military personnel for use in solving other problems like crime and poverty. The NPA and MILF combined have more than 24,000 armed guerrillas fighting the 113,000-member military. The NPA has been waging a Maoist rebellion since 1969 while the MILF began its armed secession campaign in 1978. Army in Chinatown She earlier said that she would deploy military personnel in Metro Manila, especially in Chinatown and schools to prevent kidnapping.