SPO2 George Cañete Rupinta (left) listens as President Rodrigo Duterte gives a speech at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (Photo from an RTVM video)
DAVAO CITY — President Duterte chided the New People’s Army (NPA) on its message about the resumption of talks during the turnover of its latest captive at the Matina Enclaves here on Saturday.
Commenting on the communist rebels’ message to resume the talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Duterte told the rebels they had always been in a hurry to get what they want.
“About your message for the resumption of talks, let me say this very carefully: Sa inyo iyan, eh [That’s up to you],” the President said during the turnover of SP02 George Canete Rupinta, the hostage who was freed by NPA just a day before.
Duterte cited how he appointed people from the Left to join the government and released some 25 political prisoners.
“Pero ang gusto n’yo apurahan,” he said.
(But you want things done in a hurry.)
“There are things I could not concede alone because I am not the not the only one in control of this the government,” he added. “I share power with Congress and the Supreme Court, and so, don’t ask something in a hurry and for those [things] that are not really acceptable to the other branches of the government. We need to talk sincere.”
“Don’t be in a hurry because we have been fighting for 50 years, and I have to consider the position of military and the police who invested lives [in this war],” he went on.
He also pointed out that the NPA continued to deploy and position its forces against the military even in the mid of the NDFP’s talks with the government.
“Ako, kung matapakan ko ang iyong sapatos, nagso-sorry ako. Inambush niyo presidential convoy kung saan ako mag-landing, wala man lang kayo nagso-sorry. Di ito puedeng daanin sa init ng ulo,” he said.
[I say sorry if I happen to step on your shoes, but you ambushed my presidential convoy, in a place where I was about to land, and you did not even say you’re sorry. This can’t be done in anger.]
“This problem could not be solved by harsh language,” he added. “So, kung ayaw nyo [So, if you don’t want it], we might as well forget about the talks,” Duterte said.
Rupinta, 52, assigned in Barangay Langka in Lupon in Davao Oriental was abducted by the rebels on June 9 in Barangay Tagugpo in Lupon.
His abduction was announced four days later by Rigoberto F. Sanchez, the spokesperson of the NPA-Southern Mindanao Regional Operations Command.
Sanchez said Rupinta was to be investigated for possible crimes against the people.
In a speech at the Matuna Enclaves in Ecoland here, Duterte said Rupinta was freed “through the intercession of the usual bishops, who were always there.”
“They are from the Exodus for Justice and Peace,” he said.
Duterte said he was thanking the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)for and the NDFP “for the humanitarian gesture of releasing a policeman taken hostage.”
“Wala namang kasalanan ito, except to do the duty.. .law and order,” he said.
Duterte said he could see with Rupinta’s release that “all prisoners of war have been treated well.”
“For that I also like to acknowledge their respect for the law,” he added.
Duterte said Rupinta had a heart ailment and it was good that the NPA released him.
“We will have a problem if he died in your custody,” he said.
But the President chided the NPA on their message about the resumption of the stalled talks between the government and the Communist-led NDFP, saying the communist rebels have always been in a hurry to get what they want. /atm