Jail rebels indefinitely–Duterte

New People’s Army guerrillas practice firing their assault rifles in a 2013 photo taken in the Cordillera. —EV ESPIRITU

DAVAO CITY—Communist rebels arrested in Mindanao would be detained indefinitely under martial law, President Duterte said.

Calling the rebels “enemies of the state,” Mr. Duterte said rebels who would be arrested in Mindanao would be detained beyond the 36-hour rule which required a detained person to be freed if charges were not filed within that period.

“In Manila, you’re safe,” said the President, addressing himself to Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, New People’s Army (NPA).

‘Remember, there’s martial law’

“Remember in Mindanao, there is martial law,” said Mr. Duterte who, during the campaign and shortly before assuming office, described himself as a “socialist, but not a dyed-in-the-wool socialist.”

He said rebels operating in Mindanao should “watch out.” “When I get hold of you, the 36-hour rule on investigation and filing of charges would not apply,” he said.

“I don’t believe in the (36-hour rule). That’s bullshit,” the President said.

“If you get arrested here, beware, because there would be no bail for you here,” he said, addressing himself again to rebels.

“I would rather not get hold of you if you’d only be released,” said Mr. Duterte.

‘Rowdy, fools’

The President continued his rant against communist rebels, accusing them of sabotaging peace talks by launching
attacks on soldiers and policemen even as negotiations went on between representatives of the government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the underground coalition of rebel forces.

Rebels, said Mr. Duterte, also continued collecting so-called revolutionary taxes at the height of the talks, which were being mediated by Norway.

“You’re really rowdy and fools,” said the President, addressing himself still to rebels.

“We had ceasefire but you killed my soldiers and policemen,” Mr. Duterte said, erroneously citing a ceasefire agreement that was never approved by both sides in the peace negotiations.

An NPA leader keeps in contact with the outside world through his laptop in an undisclosed Cordillera camp in this photo taken in 2013. —EV ESPIRITU

Communist rebels had adopted a stand of “talking while fighting” in the absence of a ceasefire agreement.

Monthly allowance

“These NPA rebels, with all their posturing about helping people, they stymied (development),” said Mr. Duterte who, as mayor of Davao City for at least 20 years, had contact with communist rebel leaders who entrusted the release of rebel captives to him.

The President on Thursday also pledged to pay P5,000 in monthly allowances to at least 700 rebels who had surrendered to the government.

The ex-rebels were presented to Mr. Duterte at the headquarters of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) in an event not for media coverage.

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, Eastmincom spokesperson, said the former NPA rebels also got an immediate cash assistance of P15,000 each and P50,000 in initial livelihood capital.

Balagtey said the P5,000 monthly allowance would be given to rebels as long as they need it.

The President, Balagtey said, also promised housing for the rebels.

“The President also encouraged them to engage in agriculture and not to fight the government again,” Balagtey said.—ALLAN NAWAL AND FRINSTON LIM