President Rodrigo Duterte made a fresh call to the communist rebels to surrender as he vowed to “continuously” talk to them even though the fifth round of talks collapsed.
Duterte issued the statement at a press briefing in Davao City after his arrival from a two-day official visit to Japan Tuesday night.
He even assured the rebels that the government was ready to give them houses and jobs.
“Look, I am addressing myself to all the soldiers of the New People’s Army. Mag-surrender na lang kayo ngayon at ibaba ninyo ang inyong baril o i-surrender ninyo,” he said.
“At sabi ko, may trabaho kayo naghihintay. At I am building, all throughout the country, almost 5,000 sa National Housing Authority,” he added.
Sought for comment on the localized peace talks initiated by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President said he was supportive of the move of his daughter.
“Yes. Kung mag-surrender kayo lahat, wala naman talaga mangyari,” he said.
Duterte had previously said he would no longer push through with the peace talks with the communist rebels, saying it’s “a waste of people’s money.”
The fifth round of peace talks with the rebels was suspended on May 27 when the government panel withdrew from the negotiating table after the CPP ordered NPA guerrillas to intensify attacks against security forces. Another round of peace talks was supposed to be held but didn’t push through.
But Duterte on Tuesday night said he was “not ready to give up” the peace talks with the communists.
“Fifty years in the making, then you are another 50 years. We can talk continuously with the left. I am not about ready to give up everything and anything in the — in the, in the altar of peace for our country,” he said.
“I do not fight them with money or… I’m just saying na kung mag-surrender kayo, ayaw na ninyo gusto ng patayan, or pumatay ng kapwa mo Pilipino, mag-surrender ka na. Bigyan kita ng bahay automatic, at bigyan kita ng trabaho,” he added.
Government chief negotiator Silvestre Bello said he was hopeful on the resumption of the peace talks.
“The prospect of a resumption (peace talks) is very bright. We are just waiting for the final instruction from the President,” Bello said in a GMA News TV interview on Wednesday.
“We are still hopeful that he (Duterte) would eventually order us to proceed with the talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-Nationsl Democratic Front of the Philippines),” he added. /cbb