In the CPP's distorted playbook, former rebels who choose peace are suddenly branded as "traitors."

A. Evangelista

𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔’ 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌, 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒔 “𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔.”

This editorial cartoon captures that reality: a red crosshair targets individuals who have already walked away from the violence and now work toward healing and reintegration. The CPP’s scarlet letter is clear: leave the revolution, and you become the enemy.

But many former rebels refuse to be silenced or shamed. Their courage in choosing a different path threatens the CPP’s hold over its shrinking ranks. This is not betrayal. This is deliverance from a war that never delivered on its promises.