(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday dashed what already appeared to be little hopes of a revival of peace talks between the government and the communist rebels, using strong words to denounce what he said was an organization that disrespected the republic.
“Dito sa giyera na ito, destroy the New People’s Army, destroy the organization..,” he said in a speech in Compostela Valley.
According to the President, he did what he could to “try to make peace with everybody.”
For instance, he said he appointed Communists in his Cabinet, and even gave a top rebel leader, Leoncio Pitao, alias Kumander Parag, recognition.
But the rebel group, he said, stabbed him behind his back by killing his soldiers despite a ceasefire in place.
He also noted what he said were the group’s extortion activities through their so-called revolutionary taxes.
“Magkita tayo Sison, sampalin kita..Sige, umuwi ka. Makatikim ka talaga sa akin…,” Duterte said, referring to Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines who is in exile in The Netherlands.
Duterte also called the communist rebels idealistic.
He said the coalition government they were asking for was not at all possible.
“There is a time na idealistic, and time na practical. Mayor na ako ngayon, presidente na ako ngayon, tapos hingi kayo ng coalition government. ..According to law only those persons elected by their people can exercise power of sovereignty. For example, the Supreme Court is not elected but it’s an organ and we have to defer to the SC kung ano sabihin. Congress, elected yan, president. Di ka pwede maggobyerno ka lang na kunin mo diyan,” he said.
“Kabastusan iyang ginagawa ninyo,” he added.
Last year, President Duterte officially terminated peace talks with the communists, and even issued a proclamation declaring them as terrorists.
Recently though, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who is also the government’s chief negotiator in talking peace with the communist rebels, said that a private phone conversation between the President and Sison was possible within the week.