Rody to Joma: Have mercy on Norway, kill yourself

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte yesterday told self-exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Ma. Sison to commit suicide as he said the rebel leader was lying about his health.

Duterte claimed Sison is suffering from colon cancer and the Norwegian government, as the third party facilitator of the peace talks, is burdened with the hospital expenses.

The President said the ruling party in Norway is facing election defeat because the citizens are questioning the money it is spending for the Philippine communist rebels.

“Ang issue, dahil sa gastos na pinatira kayo doon at ‘yung ospital mo, wala kang bayad-bayad. Maawa ka naman sa Norwegian government. Pakamatay ka na lang (The issue is about the expenses. You stayed there and you were hospitalized. You did not pay anything. Have mercy on the Norwegian government. Just kill yourself),” Duterte said during the turnover of assistance to the families of slain soldiers at Malacañang.

“Sison, tumanda ka na, ayaw mo pang aminin may sakit ka (you’ve grown old and yet you still won’t admit that you are sick),” he added.

The 78-year-old Sison, who has been in self-exile in The Netherlands since 1987, has denied that he is suffering from colon cancer.

Duterte chided the communist rebels for supposedly trying to ambush him despite his willingness to talk peace with them. He was referring to the ambush of the Presidential Security Group convoy in Arakan, North Cotabato that left one militiaman dead and five government troopers wounded.

“Fair is fair. Patay kami, patay kayo. Tatapusin ko kayo lahat (If we die, you also die. I will finish you) to the last man. You started this war 50 years ago,” the Chief Executive said.

During the oath taking of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Duterte blamed Sison for the ambush, which prompted officials to cancel backchannel talks with the rebels.

“T*** i** ka. Gusto mo ako kausapin pero in-ambush mo ako (You son of a b****. You want to talk to me yet you ambushed me)?

Duterte said the communist rebels tried to ambush him despite his kind gestures to their leaders.

“You (communist leaders) went to Malacañang for the first time. I even prepared food. These fools. Why did you not poison them? My problem should have ended,” he added.

Duterte also described Kadamay, the urban poor group that forcibly occupied Bulacan houses intended for soldiers, “almost anarchists.”

“For you, there is no law anymore. You just seized the houses,” the President said.

“Do that again and I will eject you by force. Either I will club you or shoot you. Do not use your poverty. Wait for me to have money and I will build houses for all,” he said.

In a statement released on Monday, Sison said he was hospitalized for a month but not for cancer. 

“I was treated in connection with rheumatoid arthritis and skin allergy for the following symptoms: low auto-immunity level during the cold months of autumn and winter, lack of appetite, loss of weight, skin allergy, pains on the joints, etc. No findings of cancer of any kind, cardiac problem or any other malignancy which is life threatening,” Sison said.

“Duterte himself is an old man at 72. I am only six years older than him. So what is the public issue?” Sison said.

He said Duterte should be the one to explain the times he was away from the public eye as the people deserve to know the President’s true state of health.