Why Duterte offered Cabinet posts to communists?
Institute for Political and Electoral Reform executive director Ramon Casiple explained the reasons why presumptive president-elect Rodrigo Duterte have offered Cabinet posts to communist leaders.
According to Casiple, Duterte’s bid could “jumpstart” interrupted peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
In an interview with dzMM, he stressed that peace talks with the rebel group broke down because of “distrust” on both parties.
“Ang usapin dito e tingnan natin iyung kanyang paraan kasi dati hindi umubra iyung mga dating paraan e. Dati, talagang distrust ang basis ng mga usapan. Wala talagang mangyayari,” he said.
“Kung talagang gusto nating taupsin iyan, isang napakahaba, 50 years na labanan, kailangan mung i-build iyung trust e,” he added.
On Monday, May 16, 2016, Duterte told the press that he is offering Cabinet posts of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to communist leaders.
“Ang ibibigay ko sa Communist Party of the Philippines, if they decide to join the government, ‘yung DAR, DENR…Labor is the one, sabi nila pinaka-oppressed ‘yan, so they are the most vigilant group in the Philippines about labor,” he said.
“So they will get it [DOLE] and DSWD, at marami pang iba. But those are the only departments I can concede to them, that four. Maganda na ‘yan,” he added.
In a report published by ABS-CBN News, Casiple noted that the programs or services offered by the four departments are “not crucial” thus they concerned with the basic services.
“Kung kilala mo si presumptive President Duterte, action agad iyan. Hindi siya mahilig ng macro-macro… Desisyon agad iyan, saka na lang titingnan ang epekto,” he said pertaining to the character of the presumptive president.
Photo Credit: GMA Network