/PNA
MANILA – The Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) will never hold control over the Philippines, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said Tuesday.
In a speech at the National Capital Region (NCR) Barangay Summit on Peace and Order in Pasay City, Duterte assured the public of peace and order and protection from the communist rebels.
“Hindi mo makuha ang Pilipinas. Hindi mo nga makuha ni isang barangay isang araw, tapos papasok ka ng ganun, patayan? Ako nagho-hold lang talaga ako. Karami kong helicopter, sabi ko, huwag muna (The CPP-NPA will never control the Philippines. They can’t even control one barangay in a day, then they engage in threats of killing? I’m really just putting things on hold. Government has lots of helicopters, I said, do not use them for now),” he said.
The President said he is controlling his temper on using the armed forces to combat the communist rebels as he considers the situation of the group’s hostages.
“Kung gagamitin mo ‘yan, linisin mo ‘yang buong — buong gubat. You, plantsahin mo ‘yan ng bala. Anong mangyari ‘pag orderin ko ‘yang military, “Shoot to kill.” Huwag na kayong magkuha ng prisoner. Basta diretso na lahat (If we use state weapons to clean entire highlands with guns, what will happen if I order the military, ‘Shoot to kill,’ and not secure the prisoners? Just merely attack.),” he said.
Duterte said the government is already doing the CPP-NPA’s call for land reform, but does it without media publicity.
“Until now, ako lang ang nagdi-distribute pero ayaw ko lang ng publicity (I distribute land titles myself but I do not want publicity). Hindi ako nagdadala ng media. Basta ako bigay lang. (I don’t bring media with me. I just give it.),” he said.
Duterte said he is leaving a “small window” for the communist rebels to resume with peace negotiations.
The CPP-NPA, in earlier reports, had been allegedly involved in mass murders, extortion, and violation of indigenous people’s rights.
The US State Department and the European Union have both tagged the CPP-NPA as terrorist organizations.
