President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s latest invitation to Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Joma Sison comes with a new promise, that if the latter flies back in the country, there will be no “Aquino-style” of killing.
“There will be no Aquino-style of killing where I will shoot the person from behind. It’s not my style,” Duterte said in his speech during the Presidential Security Group change of command ceremony.
In this remark, Dutere was referring to that tragic incident of the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.’s death, who was shot at the back on August 21, 1983, upon his arrival in Manila after years of self-exile in the United States.
In hopes to convince Sison to pursue peace negotiations between the CPP and the Philippine government, Duterte assured him of his safety, even suggesting that he could be assisted by members of his command from the New People’s army.
The chief executive said that as long as Sison won’t ask for a coalition government which “he cannot and will never give,” the latter is very welcome to come home and talk to him and others.
Duterte said this effort to reach out to Sison is part of his job as he said: “My job is not to go to war. My job cannot be killing our own countrymen. My job, my task, my mandate is to give peace to everybody.”
He added that he was “elected by the people not only by the military and the police, but all, including the Moro, who also have this “desire and confidence to talk to us about peace.”
(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 05/ 31 /18)