Duterte renews call to NPA to surrender

DESPITE the moribund talks with the communist movement, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 30, renewed his call to the members of its armed wing, the New People Army (NPA), to surrender as he was ready to give them a comfortable life.

In a speech delivered in Sta. Ana, Cagayan, Duterte reiterated his willingness to offer jobs and houses to NPA rebels who will submit themselves to authorities and lay down their arms.

"I don't know what will happen to the talks. But if you guys want just maybe a place where you can work and earn money for your family, for their education, you might do well just to talk to anybody, even to the military and the police about how we can sort it out among ourselves," Duterte said.

"I promise you, surrender ka sa pulis o sa military, then I'll give you a job, automatic. At bigyan kita nga bahay kagaya ng sa Mindanao," he added.

(I promise you, surrender to the police or the military, then I'll give you a job, that's automatic. And I will give you hohousing units like in Mindanao.)

Duterte made the fresh offer amid a deadlock in the peace talks between the national government and the communist movement.

On June 21, Duterte delayed the planned resumption of talks between the government peace panel and the CPP's political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF), to allow him to review the existing peace agreements for a period of three months.

The President had also wanted to consult the public first before the two parties hold another series of dialogue.

Duterte's decision had prompted CPP founder Jose Maria Sison to cancel on June 28 the planned revival of talks.

In his latest speech, Duterte lamented that the communist guerillas seemed to have transformed into a "robot" as they have to follow Sison's order.

"What do you really want? You cannot even occupy a barangay for 24 hours. Well, you're able to shoot somebody, kill civilians, kill soldiers for nothing. For nothing. Not even an ideology. There is actually none at all," he said.

"You're fighting for a bankrupt mind. Isang tao lang ang nag-iisip. There's only one person using his g****** grey matter between his ears. Para kayong robot kung ano ang inuutos. Mabuti pa itong mga pulis pati sundalo, 'pag agrabyado, nagsasabi pa, 'Mr. President, hindi na pwede iyan.' Kayo parang mga robot," Duterte added.

(You're fighting for a bankrupt mind. Only one person is using his mind. There's only one person using his g****** grey matter between his ears. You act like a robot. You follow the orders. The police and the military, when they are aggrieved, they would tell me, "Mr. President, that cannot be done." You, on the other hand, act like robots.)

While the resumption of talks was shelved, the government is eyeing to carry out localized peace talks with the communist guerillas.

On July 12, MalacaƱang announced that Duterte would sign an executive order (EO), detailing the guidelines for the conduct of the localized peace talks with the communists.

Duterte urged the communist rebels to contemplate and consider joining the government in improving the lives of the Filipinos.

"You know, there is always a time to reflect and review what we are in this life. Hindi madali ito. It's not revolution. To revolutionalize, to develop, it ain't really the way. It has to be evolution. Dahan-dahan," Duterte said.

(You know, there is always a time to reflect and review what we are in this life. It's not easy. It's not revolution. To revolutionalize, to develop, it ain't really the way. It has to be evolution. We have to do it slowly.)

"You allow government to work in this area, establish economic centers. Make it productive. Make it safe. Make the buildings, the structures, fire-free. No attack. No killing," he added. (SunStar Philippines)

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