Rody to Reds: Do not give me a ‘double face’

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  – President Duterte urged anew communist rebels to stop fighting and not give him a “double face” to pave the way for a lasting peace in the country. 

The President lamented that even if the leadership of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its negotiating arm National Democratic Front (NDF) have been saying that their armed wing, the New People’s Army, will not engage government forces, the NPA continued to attack soldiers in various parts of the country.

The President said it appears that communist leaders say one thing while those on the ground do otherwise.

“Would you kindly stop fighting? Can you just stop fighting for a while?” Duterte said during the 50th anniversary celebration of Davao del Norte in Barangay Mankilam, Tagum City yesterday afternoon.

“And you know, we can talk. But do not give me a double face…We used to talk. We were friends. But that was during the time when I was mayor. I was not then burdened with the responsibility of running the country.

“Do not give me that shit. That’s b***t. I am the president and I will never allow that proposition. Though we are not there all the time, we cannot guard every inch of this Republic, but I must insist that I, I own the Republic in behalf of the Filipino people every inch of the way.

“If you want to talk to us, then my God, stop killing us,” he added.

He also pointed out that until now, there is still no ceasefire between the NPA and government forces.

The fifth round of peace talks between the government and the CPP- NDF last month was suspended following the CPP’s refusal to come up with a document on the ceasefire agreement. 

“You know I can perhaps understand, alam mo ‘yung mga komunista, gahi ang ulo eh (you know the communists are hardheaded)…Until now, there is no ceasefire, we have continued fighting but walang mga aresto (there are no arrests),” Duterte said.

The President said communist rebels should understand that things are different now that he is the president of the country. 

“Now, the situation is different. When you engage my policemen, when you shoot my soldiers, we become enemies,” he said in Filipino.

–  With Christina Mendez