Duterte steps up tirades vs Sison

GUIHULNGAN CITY, Negros Oriental—President Duterte has stepped up his tirade against his former professor, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison.

He dared Sison to leave his comfortable life in The Netherlands, where he had been on self-exile, and fight with his comrades in the mountains.

“If he is a true revolutionary leader, he should come home and join his people,” he said on Thursday night during his visit to the wake of six police officers killed by the New People’s Army (NPA) here.

“The NPA members should realize that while they fight in  the field, their leader lives a comfortable life abroad,” he said.

Mr. Duterte also ordered government troops to stop the rebels from collecting revolutionary taxes.

“Starting today, I am instructing the military and the police not to call it a revolutionary tax because it is plain extortion. They should arrest and file charges against anyone involved in such activity,” he said.

Mr.  Duterte and his party arrived in the provincial capital Dumaguete City on Thursday to visit three policemen who were still in the hospital recuperating from the wounds sustained during an  NPA ambush on July 21.

From Dumaguete, the President proceeded to Guihulngan City to visit the wake of the six policemen who were killed in the same attack.

The nine Guihulngan policemen, led by Supt. Arnel Arpon, were waylaid morning of July 21 while on their way to respond to an earlier attack on Guihulngan Councilor Edison dela Rita in Sitio Mandii, Barangay Magsaysay here.

Dela Rita and his driver survived the attack but his escort, Michael Jambalos, was killed.

Mr. Duterte went to the Guihulngan City Hall to visit the wake of SPO2 Necasio Pasculado Tabilon, PO3 Teovic Gador Agosto, PO2 Alvin Paul Alquizola Bulandres and PO2 Alfredo Lastimoso Dunque.

Arpon’s wake was in his home in Hinobaan town in Negros Occidental while the remains of SPO1 Jesael Pequero Ancheta were laid in his residence in La Libertad town.

But their loved ones were at the Guihulngan City Hall to receive the posthumous award for heroism, Medalya ng Kadakilaan (PNP Heroism Medal), given to the six policemen who died in the attack.

President Duterte also handed financial assistance to the families.

“The widows will be given livelihood [projects],” he said.