CITY OF STA. ROSA, Laguna — President Rodrigo Duterte gave the members of the militant group Kadamay until Friday noon to vacate the houses they occupied in Rodriguez, Rizal or they will be evicted forcibly by the police.
“Ito Kadamay ngayon. Eh bagong bahay ng mga sundalo, ninak… Kaya sabi ko, ako nagwa-warning ha. Sabi ko sa pulis, ‘kunin ninyo ulit.’ Kung gusto ninyo ng away, sabihin ko sa pulis bigyan mo ng away,” President Duterte said during the oathtaking rites of more than 4,000 new elected barangay captains in Calabarzon here in Sta. Rosa. on Thursday.
“Kung magkamatayan, huwag kayong mauna. Pero kung kailangan pumatay kayo para i-implement ang legal na regulasyon, gawain ninyo,” he added.
Around 500 members of the militant group Kadamay trooped to Rodriguez, Rizal in an attempt to occupy a state-funded housing project for policemen and soldiers.
It was reported on Wednesday that the members of the militant urban poor group arrived on jeepneys at the housing site around 5:00 a.m. in Barangay San Isidro.
The President gave much leeway to the militants when they occupied housing units for soldiers in Pandi, Bulacan. He said he has extended compassion of a human being but he will not allow anarchy to rule and will use force if necessary to enforce the law.
“I will give you until noon tomorrow. Umalis kayo and I will order the SAF to go in,” he said as an ultimatum to the group.
The President swore in 4,018 newly elected punong-barangays in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) rallying their support for the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.
Barangay captain has similar powers as president, President Duterte told the newly sworn in officials. He advised them to carry out the country’s law especially in fighting illegal drugs.
“So do not ask me. Pareho ang powers natin. Sa barangay ninyo, you can enforce illegal logging. That’s a national law. Ang inyo is the national law, Constitution, national law, tapos yung ordinances sa city and ‘yung mga resolution or the barangay ordinance,” he said.
Negligent officials may face suspension or dismissal, he added.
Thursday’s event was the third of a series of mass oathtaking rites that the President has attended, first in Cebu last week and then in Clark, Pampanga, early this week.
Prior to the oathtaking ceremony, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) held a dialogue with the newly elective barangay officials rallying for their support in the government’s fight against illegal narcotics, corruption, criminality and Islamic extremism.
Of the 4,018 punong barangays who took their oath Thursday, 829 came from Cavite, 681 from Laguna, 1,078 from Batangas, 188 from Rizal, and 1,242 from Quezon. ###PND
