(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday night said he would “talk to the rebels” to ensure that there would be peace in the country.
In his speech made at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his arrival from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, Duterte did not say which rebels he was referring to but said he would address both the “ideological and territorial” aspects in the talks.
Earlier, Duterte terminated talks with the communists at the national level.
Duterte stopped talking to the communists after several members of the government security forces were killed by the communists’ armed wing, the New People’s Army, despite the supposedly ongoing peace talks at that time.
Only recently, though, Duterte expressed support for peace talks launched by the Davao government led by his daughter, Mayor Sara Duterte, with the communists.
In his speech at the airport, Duterte said he would talk to the rebels after reiterating he would fulfill his campaign promises, including ensuring law and order in the country.
He said this would “greatly depend on talks going on about Mindanao and dito sa taas, naputol na usapan sa mga komunista.”
“Sa Mindanao it’s proceeding well. Asa Congress na proposal ng (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) at kung magustuhan ng Congress and they don’t find really a good reason to deny it unless it runs counter to the constitution of the Philippines which I hope can be solved by negotiations,” he said, referring to the group’s draft copy of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
“I need peace in my country,” he said.
