MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday warned communists of the nearing end of their armed movement.
“Whether you agree to it or not, you NPAs (New People’s Army), the communists, you are about to end. You don’t have guns, you don’t have bullets, you don’t even have food. All you have are sores and you are being bitten by leeches,” he said in the vernacular during his speech at the awarding of certificates of land ownership to agrarian reform beneficiaries in General Santos City.
The President cited the negative implications of the armed movement.
“What I really didn’t like was the social dysfunction in the whole Philippines. Just like drugs. There are many children who have not seen their own parents because their mom and dad have joined the armed movement,” he said.
Duterte said the social dysfunction happens due to illegal activities by the armed communist rebel group.
“The social dysfunction created is all over the country. One of the things, why this is happening, is because there are people who like to extort money. It doesn’t have to be a foreigner. And they won’t be able to develop the land because all they do is extort from you. And if you refuse to give it to them, they will kill you,” he said.
The President vowed to fulfill the same promises made by the communist groups but asked for some time for their fruition.
“Everywhere all throughout the Philippines, we are giving away land titles to you. All the promises the NPAs made to you, I can fulfill them. But I would need time,” he said.
“The NPAs promises to you are just promises. It’s just a promise,” he added.
Duterte said he is still saddened when there are deaths even from the ranks of the NPA.
“Sometimes I would still get angry because so many people are dying and we are all Filipinos,” he said.
In March, Duterte officially announced the permanent termination of the peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
The President mentioned the government’s preference for localized peace engagements.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
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