MANILA, Philippines — Communists rebels could be the biggest security threat of the Philippines but COVID-19 is currently the priority of the government considering how it focuses its resources and attention in addressing the health crisis.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday this as he sought to clarify President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement, labeling the communists as the number one problem causing headaches for officials in the government.
Duterte even claimed that communists pose more danger to national security than the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf Group.
“Although he (Duterte) said number one po ‘yan, siyempre number one pa rin COVID. Kasi halos lahat naman ng atensyon ng gobyerno ngayon puro COVID,” Roque said.
(Although he said that’s number one, of course COVID remains number one. Because almost all government attention today is focused with COVID-19.)
“Pero in terms of defense and national security, ang pinakamalaking hadlang o banta ay ang mga komunista, ‘yan po ang ibigsabihin ng Presidente dahil hindi naman po mapapagkaila na talagang COVID pa rin ang inaatupag ng buong daigdig,” he added.
(But in terms of defense and national security, the biggest obstacle or threat is the communists, that’s what the President meant. We couldn’t deny that COVID is the main problem of the world today.)
In April, Duterte reiterated that he will not authorize the resumption of peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines following its armed wing’s attacks on soldiers while the country is facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roque has said that the attacks against the government forces during the pandemic were one of the reasons why Duterte certified the controversial Anti-Terror Bill as urgent.
The bill has already reached Malacañang but Duterte said his legal team is still reviewing it.