PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte urged communist rebels to surrender to the government and “go home now.”
Duterte met with 238 rebel returnees in Malacañang on Wednesday and assured them that the government would give them housing units and skills trainings.
“I will give it to you as long as many of you will surrender. Tell those who are still in the mountains, “Go home now.” Tell them, “I’m not going to fight with you, so don’t bring your guns with you,” he said in a speech before rebel returnees.
The President said the war between the government and the New People’s Army (NPA), which has been raging for five decades now, was already “exhausting.”
“You know nothing here other than to wage war. You just keep on waging war like crazy. This is exhausting. Can you give me an armalite so I can just kill them all? I’m tired of this,” he said.
He again lashed out at Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chair Jose Maria Sison.
“You are heading towards your death if you believe in Sison,” he said.
Duterte assured the rebel returnees they could avail themselves of the training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Duterte had earlier said he would let the military decide if the peace talks with the communist rebels would resume./ac