Presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Friday hit back at his rival Manuel “Mar” Roxas II for his insistence that the tough-talking mayor was supporting communist insurgents.
READ: Roxas: Duterte admin will coddle, support communist rebels
Speaking to reporters in Laguna, Duterte defended his stand on being “friendly” with the communists, saying it was part of nation-building.
“You cannot build a nation without talking to your enemies,” Duterte said.
While the mayor acknowledged that communists are “a threat to our country,” he said a peaceful resolution could be achieved through peace talks.
“I have to talk to them. I have to see what I can do for my country to arrive at a peaceful resolution,” he said.
“You do not kill your own enemy. You have to talk to them. I am friendly to them because one day, I have to talk to them about nation-building,” he added.
In 2015, the tough-talking local executive was criticized after he allowed a hero’s burial for slain New People’s Army (NPA) leader Leoncio Pitao in Davao City.
READ: Duterte defends allowing hero’s burial for slain NPA leader
Duterte also described his view on China as “friendly” amid the Philippines’ maritime dispute with it over the control of some parts of the South China Sea.
“I am friendly to everybody. I am being friendly to China,” he said, adding that we cannot go to war immediately.
READ: Duterte open to talks with China, joint exploration at disputed sea
In previous speeches, Duterte said he is being supportive with the ongoing case of the Philippines against China at the United Nation’s International Tribunal on the Laws of the Sea (Itlos) but has also said that he was open to bilateral talks with the giant nation. IDL
READ: Duterte: PH not prepared for war with China
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