President Duterte the other day said that he has given up trying to talk peace with the communist rebels.
Duterte made the statement days after he formally announced the dissolution of the government peace panel created to negotiate with the communist rebels.
In a speech in Cagayan de Oro City, Duterte said that talking to the communist rebels is useless since they continue to do their deeds despite negotiating for peace with the government.
“Ang NPA, ako na’y ni-surrender. I said I will stop talking to them because it is really useless,” he said. “We have been talking for the last 30 years. And they have been trying to destroy the legitimate government since 53 years ago. Wala gyud ta’y ma – wala gyud ta’y ma…,” he added.
According to Duterte, people can still continue to dream that there will be peace in Mindanao with respect to the communist rebels. However, he said the failures of the peace talks over the last year are proof that nothing will ever be achieved.
“It could be a dream nga naa pay pag-asa. Fifty-three years would tell you that it amounts to nothing,” he said. “So ana akong gisulti sa mga sundalo, sulti nako sa mga pulis, ‘Tapuson ta nalang ni. Either kitay musurrender or silay musurrender. Either kitay mahurot o hutdon gyud nato sila,” he added.
“Ang ilang gusto armed struggle. The word itself or the words – the two words connote violence.”
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that despite Duterte’s pronouncements, the government is not giving up on peace in Mindanao.
“The administration still seeks peace. We are just trying a different tact by localizing the peace talks as the concerns of rebel groups vary from one locality to another specially so that Mr. Sison appears not to have control over the communist forces on the ground,” he said. (Argyll Geducos)
