Duterte replies: Sison dying of cancer

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has turned the tables on Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison saying it’s the latter who is “dying” due to complications from colon cancer.

“What’s wrong with Sison is he is suffering from cancer of the colon, the intestines. He has undergone operation several times but the cancer has spread to his pancreas,” Duterte said in remarks before soldiers in Davao City.

“Yet, he still boasts that I’m comatose. Comatose your s***. You’re the one who’s dying. How arrogant,” Duterte said.

The 73-year-old Chief Executive is obviously dismayed by Sison’s repeatedly calling him a sick man. Duterte admitted admiring Sison during his college days in Lyceum of the Philippines where the CPP founding chairman had been his teacher.

While Duterte claimed he was in good terms with local rebels in Davao during his term as mayor, he said Sison had lost touch of reality on the ground.

Duterte said Sison, 79, has lost his ideology and is now resorting to underhanded tactics by questioning his health.

“Sison’s bible is his brain. Wala, don’t believe him. He’s old,” Duterte added.

“Look at him now, instead of talking about an ideology, if there is one at all, he’s saying that I’m comatose, that I’m dead, or that my thing that’s dangling there can’t get hard anymore,” he said.

Instead of referring to the Netherlands where Sison is in exile, Duterte claimed that the “Norwegian government” has regarded the communist leader as “a freeloader.”

Norway is a third-party broker between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF).

“He’s the kind of person who would go with you to receive everything for free. There’s really nothing there anymore,” Duterte added.

“That’s why you should tell them to come down. If you come down, I’ll give you the houses here that I had built for the soldiers. I said you should be the first,” he said.

Duterte cancelled last June all back door negotiations for peace with the CPP and its political wing, NDF and the New People’s Army (NPA).

The government said it has to consult with stakeholders to determine the final moves to take toward a peace agreement with the Left.

“Do not just sit there, go back and tell your comrades to come down so you can talk to Duterte,” the President said, addressing Sison.

Duterte assured the rebels that the government would provide them with everything necessary so they can reenter society.

Sison claimed on Wednesday that the Duterte regime was using the CPP, NPA and the revolutionary movement to establish a “full blown fascist dictatorship.”

In a statement assessing the 50th year of the CPP, Sison said CPP is taking stock of its achievements and honoring its heroes and martyrs as well as the toiling masses of workers and peasants.

“The US-Duterte regime is seeking to scapegoat the CPP, NPA and the revolutionary mass movement of the people in order to establish a full blown fascist dictatorship,” Sison said.

“It is using the most brutal and deceptive tactics in the vain attempt to destroy the revolutionary forces. These tactics used by Oplan Kapayapaan are akin to those used in Oplan Tokhang and Double Barrel,” he added.

Sison said barangay officials are coerced to list down suspected revolutionaries in the communities supposedly to make them participate in fake surrenders and to receive payments.

He said the list also serves as a death list because military officers get higher payment for those killed in fake encounters. Like the police in the war on drugs, military officers are turned into butchers and corrupted more than ever before, he said.

Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano also claimed that President Duterte is very ill, contrary to the declaration of his allies.

Speaking at a news forum in Quezon City, Alejano said he was informed by a person close to Duterte that he is not in the pink of health.

“I believe in the information given to us by this person who has access to the President,” said Alejano. He declined to give details.

He said Duterte’s absence in the aftermath of a monsoon devastation as well as his physical appearance are proof that something is wrong with the President.

He urged Malacañang to be transparent on the issue.

“What we want is that everytime he undergoes a medical checkup, his bulletin should be released to the public,” said Alejano.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. slammed Alejano for claiming that Duterte has health problems.

“He already ran out of issues which is why he is now targeting the health of the President,” said Roque. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Emmanuel Tupas, Christina Mendez