President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday scored the communist New People’s Army (NPA) for invoking the Geneva Conventions — the international rules that protect noncombatants during armed conflict — whenever they were cornered.
Saying the Geneva Conventions were passé, the President vowed to take “harsh measures” against the communist insurgents.
“I’ll be forced to take harsh measures … It could be something like, ‘I’ll do what you do to me,’” Mr. Duterte said in a speech in Malacañang.
The President said the NPAs “no longer have their second echelons” and were reduced to banditry and sexually harassing women in the countryside.
Mr. Duterte made the statement as he ordered the Philippine National Police not to commit any extrajudicial killings in their campaign against illegal drugs, terrorists and the NPA.
However, the President also ordered the military and the police to “give no quarter” in their new offensive against the communist rebels.
“My directive to the police and to the Armed Forces is to give you no quarter. No quarters asked, no quarters given,” the President said, addressing the rebels.
“I’m sick and tired of talking to you. You are like (the Islamic State),” he said.
Mr. Duterte also denounced the NPA for ambushing soldiers who were helping and providing relief to victims of Tropical Storm “Urduja” in Northern Samar. Two soldiers were injured in an ambush in Catubig town.
“That’s why I said there was no point talking to you,” the President said.