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There will be no ceasefire with the communist rebels during the Christmas season this year, or “never again” during this administration, President Rodrigo Duterte declared Monday night, vowing to “destroy” them for their alleged atrocities.
In his weekly address to the nation, Duterte said that the ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), is long dead.
“There will never be a ceasefire under my mandate, under my mandate ko pagka-President. For all intents and purposes, ‘yung ceasefire is dead. Wala na ‘yon. Matagal na ‘yon (There will be no ceasefire ever again under my mandate, my term as president. For all intents and purposes, the ceasefire is dead. It’s long gone), ”he said.
The Philippine government traditionally agreed to a festive ceasefire with the Communists during the Christmas holidays, which were reciprocated by the rebel group.
The army, however, announced that it would not recommend to the president a traditional holiday ceasefire with communist rebels, citing their continued crimes.
Earlier this year, the government and the CPP declared a ceasefire to make way for the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The CPP had extended its truce for 15 days. Both sides said the other launched attacks during the ceasefire.
In the same public speech, Duterte said that the resumption of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the CPP’s negotiating arm, was also “dead.”
He admitted that he “walked away” from the peace talks with the communist rebel group “because we cannot understand each other.”
“When I walked away from the talks because we can’t understand each other. Maybe we were speaking in different dialects, I don’t know why, but I just can’t understand the way the other side was wearing it, the way they were playing it. What was evolving before me was something that was not acceptable to the Republic of the Philippines, lalo na ‘yang (especially that) coalition government, ”he said.
The president insisted that the rebel demand to form a coalition government was unacceptable.
He said he could be charged or shot by the military and the police if he allowed a power-sharing agreement with the communists.
“No stupid president will allow it. You will be charged. You are not supposed to share that power … those powers given to me by law are only to be exercised unless they can be delegated. I cannot compromise anything in this government. Either they will accuse me or the military and the police will shoot me, ”he said.
Duterte also insisted that all communists were “bad” as they were plotting to overthrow the Republic of the Philippines.
“I have to destroy you,” the president said, adding that while the anti-subversion law has been repealed, communists have committed assassinations, fires and other atrocities.
“These are serious crimes under the Revised Penal Code and your organization, just communists all of you, the act of one is the act of all,” he said.
Duterte also revealed plans to identify other individuals belonging to the communist rebel organization.
He said he would try “to clarify what we will do to them because they are now criminals.”
“So what do we do? Well, I am trying to clarify what we will do to them because now they are criminals and I said that I have pointed out that we are not just labeling them. That is a light… We are identifying you and we will identify you whenever you want. But there will be a time before me [term ends]I will name them all, everyone in the NDF, ”he said.
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