Communist and Moro fighters no longer fit into the picture of joining government troops in the fight against the ISIS-inspired terrorists in the country’s south, President Rodrigo Duterte said as he retracted his earlier calls for secessionist groups to join his war against terror.
In a speech before soldiers in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on Friday, Duterte said that there will be problematic scenarios should he continue with his offer for rebels to join government troops.
“Nag-offer ang NPA, nakikipaglabanan sa gobyerno, sama-sama. Sabi ko, ‘t– ina baka lahat ng tama ng sundalo ko sa likod. Wala sa harap [The NPA offered but they’re also fighting the government. I said, it might turn out that my soldiers will just be shot at the back],” Duterte said. .
“It’s not because I do not trust them but it simply does not fit into the picture,” he added.
Aside from communists guerillas, Duterte likewise turned down MNLF founding chairperson Nur Misuari offer for his “able-bodied” troops to fight with the government when they talked last week.
“Si Nur promised to send also 2,000 of the MNLF soldiers. Sabi ko, huwag kasi pagdating doon maghalo-halo tayo. Hindi lahat tayo nakakaintindi lahat ng—ang Tausug naman kung marunong kang mag-Bisaya, maintidihan mo ‘yan. Magdahan-dahan lang salita [I refused because when you’re there, you’re going to sow confusion, because they’re mostly Tausugs. It’s okay if you’re a Visayan because you’re going to understand each other],” he said. Duterte instead asked for understanding and patience.
“Sabi ko, huwag na. Kasi marami na tayo, hindi tayo magkaintindihan. Baka tayo-tayo na ang barilan doon. Sabi ko, ‘Hayaan mo lang ako. Just give us your understanding and be patient. We will restore order in this country [No more. We’re too many. It will only lead to confusion and we might hit each other. Just let me be],’” he added.
In what is seen as an unprecedented move, Duterte in his visit to Jolo, Sulu last May 31 made an appeal to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front, and the CPP’s New People’s Army to join the government to fight the common enemy.
While the government had successfully crafted a deal with the MILF that led into the creation of two “peace corridors” encircling Lake Lanao, which allowed humanitarian assistance pass through war-torn Lanao del Sur province, talks with the CPP’s armed wing, the New People’s’ Army were likely unattainable after the Defense Department shut down the aid and called them to surrender first and enlist for military service first before they can help in the government offensive against ISIS-linked Maute group.
“Hindi kami open diyan dahil in fact we brand them as terrorists eh [We’re not okay with them because we brand them as terrorists],” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said when asked about the CPP-NPA’s offer of military assistance.
“Kung pumunta sila rito na may mga armas sila, we will ask them to surrender kasi hindi naman sila pwedeng makialam dito so huwag na silang makialam dito. We are trying to convince the NPAs to surrender [Even if they join us and they bring their guns, we will ask them to surrender because they just can not meddle here],” he added.
Lorenzana said there is only one Armed Forces and one police force tasked to enforce the law in the country.
“Tutulong dito? There is only one armed forces saka one police force dito sa bansa. Ngayon kung pupunta sila dito at armado sila, ibig sabihin we are recognizing them as another armed force. Hindi pwede yun. Isa lang. Dapat isa lang,” Lorenzana said.
“Until such time that they are integrated into the armed forces, hindi sila pwedeng makialam,” he added.