Communist leader Jose Maria Sison and President Rodrigo Duterte. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS)
President Rodrigo Duterte mocked the threat of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison that the communist would join forces in movements to oust him from office.
“What forces? Who is willing to join him? [Leila] de Lima? My God!” Duterte told reporters in Panglao, Bohol after he attended the 25th annual convention of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines.
The President went on with his sarcasm by telling Sison to just watch the alleged sex video of De Lima.
“Just watch the X-rated (video). It’s clear,” he said.
In a statement on Thursday, Sison said the communists would participate in efforts to oust Duterte as they have closed their door for a peace negotiation under the Duterte administration.
“My main task is to seek, find the peace of the country. If they are not willing to talk to me that’s fine. I have no problem. So we continue with the war,” he said.
“If you want to overthrow my government, fine. If you are willing to talk, come here, if you don’t want, then it’s OK,” he added.
The President wondered why Sison was not taking the opportunity of coming back to the Philippines and talk peace.
“Why is he not taking the chance of coming over? I might give to him the government on a silver platter,” he said.
Duterte had earlier invited Sison to return to the Philippines and guaranteed his safety and security.
He said the latest remarks of Sison would not change the current setup between the government and the rebels since “we are still fighting.”
“It does not really change the equation; we are still fighting with the Communist Party of the Philippines,” he said.
The government had earlier announced the postponement of the peace talks with the communist rebels after Duterte said he wanted public consultations on the resumption of the negotiations.
READ: Dureza: Peace talks with Reds on June 28 canceled