MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte expressed hope on Saturday that the next administration will be “far better” in dealing with the country’s ongoing problems.
He also hopes that his successor would continue his campaign against illegal drugs and communist insurgency.
Nonetheless, he guaranteed that the campaign against drug offenders and communist rebels would be unabated until he leaves office on June 30.
“I hope and I pray that the next administration will be better than mine on all aspects. Dinadasal ko iyan para sa kababayan, para sa inyo (I am praying that for my fellow countrymen),” Duterte said during his visit to Tropical Storm Agaton’s victims staying at the Pontevedra Elementary School evacuation center in Pontevedra, Capiz.
Despite his strained relationship with the communist movement as a result of the rebels’ killing spree while peace talks were ongoing, Duterte is optimistic the next president would also make an effort to “reconnect” with the communist movement.
“Hindi kayo maghinto, mag-away talaga tayo (We will fight each other if you do not stop). But we were friends. We were friends. Were na kasi tapos na (because it’s all in the past). But I hope that whoever comes in next after me, they would try to reconnect and I pray that it (peace talks) would succeed,” Duterte said.
Duterte again reaffirmed his plea for communist insurgents to surrender and reintegrate into mainstream society, reassuring them that the government will aid them.
“I hope that we would find peace with the communists. Ayokong makipag-away sa inyo (I do not want to fight you),” he said. “You know, you can fight 53 years in the making. You want another 53 years? And you think you can win a barangay (village) or a city? Not in a million years. Mabuti pa bumaba na lang kayo (It’s better for you to just surrender).”
Since 1986, intermittent peace negotiations have taken place between the national government and the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) political wing, National Democratic Front (NDF).
Duterte conducted a series of peace talks with the NDF but decided to terminate the negotiations after the relentless attacks of the CPPs armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), against government troops and civilians.
He formally stopped the peace talks with the NDF through Proclamation 360 signed on November 23, 2017, followed by the Dec. 5, 2017 signing of Proclamation 273 which declared the CPP-NPA as a terror group.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the NDF as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973.
Stop or get killed
Duterte warned anew drug personalities that they would get killed if they proceed with their illegal drug activities.
He emphasized how much it saddens him to see a family become “dysfunctional” because one of its members becomes engaged with drugs.
“Ang droga, hintuin na ninyo (Stop your involvement in illegal drug trade). Just like the communists, you drop the drugs or otherwise, I will kill you. Mag-prangkahan tayo (I’m just bring frank),” Duterte said.
According to the Real Numbers data of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, a total of PHP76.01 billion worth of illegal drugs have been seized nationwide from July 2016 to February 2022.
As of February 2022, about 14,648 high-value targets and 331,694 individuals involved in illegal drugs have been arrested.
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