Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has urged the Duterte government to deal and finally settle the issue of communist insurgency as the leftist movement is “past their time” and let peace reign in the country.
“But to think of it as a threat, wala na ‘yan. That will wither in the vine in the long run. China is now a capitalist country although their government pretends to be still a Marxist following the Maoist version. Wala na ‘yon,’’ Enrile said.
After settling this insurgency issue, Enrile said, the Duterte government should begin to deal with the “looming problem of the Philippines which is in Mindanao” where there is a rise of the conflicting influence of the Shia and Sunni camps of the Muslim religion.
“We are dealing with an untouchable, unseen and unquantifiable concept known as religion,” Enrile said during a press forum at the historic landmark Manila Hotel.
“That is the problem now. ‘Yan ang lumalabas na problema sa Mindanao, mas madugo ‘yan. Mahirap kontrolin ‘yan because that is global and you have members of this religion all over the planet,’’ he added.
Enrile was the Defense Minister of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos for 17 years who dealt with the communist and Muslim secessionist movements.
Enrile said the problem in the current 21st century is no longer communism and capitalism but freedom versus tyranny.
“That is why I support the effort of President Duterte to deal with them and settle this issue finally para ganoon tumahimik na,’’ he said. (Mario B. Casayuran)
