President Rodrigo Duterte says the slain sugarcane farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, had been “fooled” by Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison’s fake ideals, and that the communist rebels were behind their killing.
He said the killing of the nine farmers’ was the style of the communist rebels.
“The style of the communists is they kill their own comrades and blame it on the [government]. The New People’s Army are such fools,” Duterte said in a speech in Cagayan De Oro on Wednesday.
He also said his scheduled visit to Sagay City did not push through because of a thunderstorm.
Police officials said the fatalities, members of the group National Federation of Sugar Workers, had occupied the hacienda where they were killed as part of an agrarian reform assertion campaign called “Bungkalan.”
“This means if they see a vacant lot, they occupy it. They forced some people to join their federation,” Duterte said.
“They didn’t reach an understanding and so they shot them. I feel very sorry for them. They were fooled by Sison’s ideals.”
He then asked the farmers to give him time to distribute land to the beneficiaries, but warned them not to seize or occupy land by themselves.
“Just give me some time, but do not confiscate or seize or occupy land that are already owned. Don’t do that, don’t steal land that already have tenants,” Duterte said.
“The Kadamay would steal even the housing units in Bulacan that I had made for the soldiers and the poor. They tried to get as much as they could. That would make us appear inutile. I wouldn’t have a face to show. I’m not an inutile President who is unable to settle everything. Just wait,” Duterte said.
He said he had ordered Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones to give “everything” for land reform in Bacolod City.
“For the beneficiaries who were unable to benefit from it, I ordered Secretary Castriciones to give it away. But don’t steal and kill people because if you do, my order to the police and the military is to have you evicted,” Duterte said.
“They’ll pick you up and if you resist, you will get bruised. I told them that if a person who is armed resists, kill them. I ordered them to do that.”
Duterte said he would not hesitate to see 10 to 20 people in a coffin.
“Don’t steal and don’t threaten people. Do not intimidate. I will never allow that,” Duterte said.
He said he would not hesitate to kill people who seize land by pretending to be its owners.