Headline
I won’t be defeated, Duterte tells communists
MANILA – With less than two years in office, President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday took a firm stance that he would not allow himself to be defeated by the communist movement.
Duterte made the statement during the joint meeting of national and regional task forces to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) in Cagayan de Oro, as he lamented that communist insurgents continue to commit criminal offenses, such as extortion, arson, rape, and murder.
“Mao ng kinabuhi inyong gusto? Karon, kamong mga nakasabot, og nisulod sa utok ninyo ning akong mensahe, ako di ko mapildi (Is that really the life that you want? Now, for those of you who were able to fully comprehend what I said, you should understand that I won’t be defeated),” he said.
The communist rebels’ ceaseless attacks against government troops and civilians have prompted Duterte to sign on Nov. 23, 2017 Proclamation 360, which formally scrapped the peace negotiations with the communist group’s political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF).
The termination of the peace talks was followed by the Dec. 5, 2017 signing of Proclamation 274, classifying the communist movement’s armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), as a terror organization.
On Dec. 10, 2018, Duterte signed Executive Order 70, directing the National Task Force ELCAC to provide an efficient mechanism and structure for the implementation of the government’s whole-of-nation approach in ending insurgency and attaining inclusive and lasting peace.
In his latest speech, the President said he would stop the communists’ plan to topple his administration.
He reiterated his order to the military and the police to neutralize communist rebels.
“Unsaon? Unsaon man ninyo pagtumba daw ang gobyerno be? Ako musugot matumba ninyo ang gobyerno? Ako, panagsa ra ko mag… Mao akong giingnan ang militar, pulis. Pag engkwentro gani mo, mogunit og armas, patya. Patya gyud. Tiwasi. Ingna ang human rights, ako nang sugo. Ako’y mapreso. Way problema na (So how do you intend to overthrow the government? Do you think I’ll allow the government to be defeated? Well, I rarely ever… That’s why I told the military and police that during encounters, if the enemy is holding a gun, kill them. Kill them right away. Tell the human rights that it’s my order. I’ll be the one to go to jail. No problem.)
Not a fascist
Duterte also debunked the communists’ persistent claims that he is a fascist, maintaining that he would never resort to a one-man rule.
“Niadto singgit ninyo, ‘Pasista!’ Kinsa may mopasista? Ako magpasista? O ako magpasista, ang military ang mupatay sa ako. Og dili, mag-coup d’etat na sila (You used to shout, ‘Fascist!’ Who’s a fascist? Me? If I become a fascist, the military would be the first to kill me. If not, they will stage a coup d’etat),” he said.
Duterte was confident that soldiers and policemen would not be fooled by the communist group’s false accusations against him.
“Ang military dili na buang. Ang pulis dili na. Hiritan ka gyud ana (The military aren’t fools. The police aren’t fools, as well. They will really stop you),” he said.
Know what’s right
Duterte had relatively warm ties with the communists during his first months in office.
However, the NPA’s continued attacks against state forces and civilians amid the holding of peace talks took a toll on him.
Duterte remains optimistic that communist rebels would abandon the armed struggle and return to the fold of the law.
“Kamong mga komunista, nahibawo man mo og unsa la’y tama. Unsa may tama? Di ka magdaog-daog isigkatawo, di ka makig-giyera nga di ka gyud makadaog. Bandido mong tanan. Wala mo’y ideyolohia kay ang tanang komunista, ang China ug ang Russia kapitalista na (You communists should know what’s right. And what is the right thing to do? You don’t oppress your fellowmen. You don’t wage a war that you will never win. You are all bandits. You have no ideology. All communist countries, China and Russia, they are capitalists now),” he said.
The President assured communists that they would get assistance from the government to help them rebuild their lives when they decide to reintegrate into society.
“Nakasabot ko. So mao nang nagbuhi ko’g kwarta para kadtong nakasabot nako. Di na man mo kinahanglan pasabton kay kamo mismo may utok. Nahibaw mo nga ngil-ad ng inyong ginabuhat nga mangayo mo sa mga pobre unya pamatyon pa ninyo og mupabor sa gobyerno (I understand. So that’s why I’m spending money on those who understand what I’m saying. You don’t need to be taught to understand because you yourselves are capable of understanding. You know that what you’ve been doing, extorting from the poor and killing those who favor the government, is wrong),” Duterte said.
Apart from the Philippines, the Communist Party of the Philippines – NPA has also been branded as a terror group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
