PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte challenged all his critics—including all “yellow” and “red” sides—to join forces against him but warned that he would not hesitate to use force against them should they break the law in upcoming large-scale rallies slated this week.
“You can join forces, all you who have any beef against me,” Duterte said in Filipino in an interview over state-run television station PTV4.
At the same time, Duterte said he was considering whether to accept the offer of communist rebels for an eventual resumption of the peace talks, but nevertheless could not accede to all their demands for the release of political prisoners.
In a media interview, Duterte said he was not adverse to the idea of resuming talks with the left, but noted that he had given all the concessions to them and asked for their sincerity.
“Well anyway, your message to me for the resumption of the talks, let me say this very carefully. It’s with you. Because when I became [President,] there were so many demands, and I conceded, and even appointing people from the left to join the government,” Duterte said in his hometown Davao City after a prisoner of war, Senior Police Officer 2 George Canete Rupinta, was released by the communist rebels as he was suffering from a heart condition.
“I released almost something like 25 prisoners of war or so from Bilibid. But what you wanted is an immediate [response]—and there are things which I cannot concede alone because I am not the only one in control of this government,” he added.
“I share the power with the legislative and the judiciary so do not ask for something that is unacceptable for the other branches of government,” Duterte said.
But he gave assurances he saw to it “that all prisoners of war are treated well.”
Duterte likewise addressed criticisms he was trying to impose authoritarian rule in the country, since he’s not the only one in charge of running the government.
“Authoritarian, autocrat? It can’t be. The fact that I alone cannot operate indicates that there is something to be done more than what meets the eye,” he said.
“If you want to resume the talks, I am not adverse to the idea but let me sort out first the other branches of government and it is not my own,” he added.
Duterte, nevertheless thanked the reds for their “humanitarian” gesture of releasing Rupinta.
“I see that all prisoners of war have been treated well in accordance to the Geneva Convention. For that I would also like to acknowledge their respect for the law,” he said.
Earlier this month, Duterte stressed that if communists wanted a return to the negotiating table, they should first declare a ceasefire with government forces.
“If you want to resume the peace talks, you declare ceasefire or nothing,” Duterte said last Sept. 8 at Digos City. “And if say you want another war, be my guest.”
In a move to convince Duterte to return to the negotiating table, NDF chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili last August expressed willingness to sign a bilateral ceasefire deal with the government, once they agreed on agrarian reform and national industrialization.
Agcaoili said the President knew that the NDF “will not agree to a bilateral ceasefire without an agreement on reforms,” referring to the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms, which would include agrarian reform and national industrialization.
Duterte ended the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front in July following a series of attacks of its armed wing the New People’s Army against government forces.
While there had been no backchannel talks since Duterte’s pronouncements, Agcaoili said the communist rebels still saw possible openings with the President’s decision to speak directly with leftist protesters right after his congressional address.
The fifth round of peace talks with the rebels was suspended on May 27, after the government panel withdrew from the negotiating table due to the order of the CPP to NPA guerrillas to intensify attacks against security forces.
The President, who earlier expressed considering suspending government work and classes in Metro Manila on Sept. 21 in anticipation of threats of massive protests to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by then President Ferdinand Marcos, the upcoming protests would involve both “reds,” which include the militant Left, and “yellows” or personalities associated with the Liberal Party.
“Our problem is like this—we don’t know yet, we don’t have an analysis if the yellows are riding with the left, or the left are the ones joining the yellows,” he said in Filipino.
Duterte said he was fine with protesters airing their grievances and even burning his effigy—but warned them against taking the law in their own hands.
“This is just my appeal. Do not destroy, vandalize, or burn public properties. Just burn an effigy of me, even thousands of them,” he said.
“Go ahead. Be my guest. You’ll be my visitors and that will be true for (those in) other major cities in the Philippines. But do not break the law. I will not hesitate to use force. Even if it would mean my downfall as President of this country. Remember that,” he added.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had earlier played down Duterte’s threats of declaring martial law nationwide, saying this was a “very remote” possibility, given the weakened state of militant groups.
In his speech before troops at Cagayan de Oro City, Duterte said that he “will not hesitate to impose martial law throughout the country and order the arrest of everybody” if communists stage a rebellion against the government.
Lorenzana said the President was only concerned that a leftist rebellion that might get out of hand and disrupt public order, but their intelligence people had seen no indication that the militant groups could gather the same strength they showed during the Marcos administration in the 1970s.
The Defense chief also made it clear that Duterte would not declare martial law simply because of street protests.
Duterte, however, said that members of the New People’s Army were also free to join the rallies as long they didnot carry weapons. He assured them the security forces would not arrest them.
“If you remain peaceful, I can assure you no military nor the policemen will be up in front of you other than the traffic,” he added.