President Rodrigo Duterte is seen giving an ultimatum to the Communist Party of the Philippines armed wing the New People’s Army while speaking before soldiers at Camp Nakar in Lucena City, Quezon, July 28, 2016. TV5 SCREENSHOT
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday gave an ultimatum to the Communist Party of the Philippines in relation to their sincerity in entering into peace talks with his administration.
In a speech before soldiers during his visit to Camp Guillermo Nakar in Lucena City, Quezon province on Thursday, Duterte said he was dismayed to learn of the death of a militiaman in an ambush by communist rebels on Wednesday despite his declaration of a unilateral ceasefire with the communist groups.
He was referring to the attack in Kapalong town, Davao del Norte in which a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGU) was killed and four others were wounded.
The ambush took place 6:45 a.m. as a group of militiamen, under the supervision of the 60th Infantry Battalion, were passing Sitio Kamunoan on the way to their base in Sitio Pasil, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong.
The attack was conducted by suspected communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels belonging to Guerilla Front 34, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo.
Duterte told the soldiers in Camp Nakar that he asked the congressman of Davao del Norte: “Ano ba ‘to (What is this)? Are we in into this truce or are we not,” further telling him to give an answer by Thursday night because if there is still no answer by Friday, he said fighting will resume.
“If you do not honor (the truce) and you kill a single soldier or a CAFGU who is also a soldier of the Republic, sabi ko ‘kalimutan na lang natin ’to. Fight na lang (I said, then let’s just forget about the truce. Let’s fight),” Duterte said, apparently addressing the rebels.
The President told the soldiers that he knows that they may be “resistant” to accept it because of the “historical” pain, saying “Maraming namatay sa inyo, pero marami ring namatay sa mga komunista (Many soldiers have died, but many communist also died). But as President, I have to seek peace for our country. Not only with the communist insurgency but doon rin sa Muslim insurgency,” the Commander-in-Chief said.
Camp Nakar is the base of the Armed Forces’ Southern Luzon Command (Solcom).
“As I talk to the communists, I will talk to the MI(LF), MN(LF) and all the armed groups there. Hindi kasali ang Abu Sayyaf. I will not talk with criminals,” he said, noting the need to build the country.
“Kaya nga nag-rebelde nga sila (Abu Sayyaf) because they think that they can have a better life, Pilipinas can have a better life under them, which is crazy. That’s why you are fighting them. Eh hindi naman papayag because the constitutional mandate belongs to this government, not with them,” the Chief Executive added.
Duterte also talked about the drug problem which, he said, can be considered a crisis. He said leaders of drug syndicates are operating outside the country, such as in China.
With regards to the West Philippine Sea issue, Duterte said he wants to settle the dispute through diplomatic means. He likewise thanked former president Benigno Aquino III for winning the case which the Philippines filed against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
Watch this News5 video report by Erwin Tulfo:
[Video report]
http://interaksyon.com/article/130882/watch--duterte-gives-ultimatum-to-cpp-npa
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