President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, July 6, said that he did not negotiate with terrorists and will never talk to them but said that he is open to peace talks with groups having legitimate cause.
A certain Aga Khan Sharief, who is said to be a Muslim leader, claimed that the President pushed for talks with the Maute group who attacked Marawi City.
“No, I did not… He’s a pretender,” the President said in a media interview following his visit to 403rd Infantry Division in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
“I’d never talk to terrorists, that’s one. I will never talk to criminals and to terrorists. But I would talk to revolutionaries who are imbued with a principle — kagaya nitong MI[LF], MN[LF],” he said.
“I talk to them because ang — what drove them to fight government is the rising nationalism,” he added.
Besides, he said that a lot of soldiers and policemen have died in the conflict in Marawi City, which makes negotiation unlikely.
“If there has to be peace, it would really be peace. Huwag mo akong laruin ‘yang away ngayon tapos bukas… Let us finish this once and for all,” Duterte said.
At the same time, the President told Muslims that his government is for peace and is ready to settle the separatist rebellion in Mindanao.
“I plead to the Moro people who are my brothers, who are our brothers: We do not want to fight, we do not want to kill. And if we can just stop fighting, okay ako,” he said.
In his address to the soldiers of the 403rd Infantry Division, meanwhile, President Duterte thanked the soldiers for their sacrifices, adding that in return, his government will do everything to support and equip them.
The President vowed to provide them with brand new weapons and assets such as helicopters, noting that he will not settle for second-hand equipment and donations from other countries.
Duterte also said that before he steps down from office, he wants to double the number of FA-50s fighter jets that the country has acquired.
The President also promised the soldiers to give them guns for their own protection whenever they go outside their camp.
Military hospitals are also now being equipped with modern medical facilities and tools to treat soldiers injured in the front lines, he added.
He also assured the troops of his support, particularly if they encounter legal troubles while performing their duties.
“And you will have the best of everything, in terms of equipment at lahat. And you would be comforted. ‘Yan lang ang maiwan ko sa inyo,” Duterte said.
Meanwhile, the President called on the communist rebels to stop its extortion activities.
“I refuse now to resume the talks with them until they stop itong extortion,” Duterte said.
“It’s plain extortion. And if they want to continue, to resume the talks, one of the things that I would demand would really be that they stop the extortion activities,” he added. ###PND
