President Duterte on Monday insisted his desire to bring lasting peace in the country as he expressed willingness to pursue peace negotiations with the communist rebels with or without their founding chair, Jose Maria Sison.
This, as he emphasized that his job as a president is not to look for fight and allow people to die, but “to seek peace with everybody so that we can move on to the next generation.”
Speaking before soldiers during visit to Camp Lukban in Catbalogan, Samar, the President said: “Para ’yun next generation after us wala nang problem sa insurgency and they can go anywhere in the country and develop the Republic para sa anak nila.”
“Kaya nga tayo gusto ng peace, mukhang ayaw nila, mukhang gusto. But still I would insist that we talk with or without Sison,” he continued.
He then urged the rebels to look into their decades-old rebellion and asked if they still want to continue with it.
“Itong komunista kung nakikinig kayo, you have been at war with the government for 45 years. Do you want to fight another 45 years?,” he asked. (GK)