Duterte warns rebels ahead of peace talks
‘More than 10 militants killed’
MANILA, Philippines, April 3, (Agencies): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened Monday to unleash new attack aircraft and the “full power of the state” against communist rebels if a new round of peace talks fails, and insisted they accept new conditions including a halt to extortion and to territorial claims.
Government and rebel negotiators have flown to the Netherlands for a resumption of the talks, which collapsed in February after Duterte angrily protested the killings of government troops in renewed attacks by the New People’s Army rebels. The formal opening ceremony of the Norwegian-brokered talks, which the government announced would take place Sunday, was delayed by a day. “We’re facing the NPAs, we’re having talks in the Netherlands, they have not made any progress because I have some conditions to impose before we go back,” Duterte said in a speech at the presidential palace in Manila.
He accused the guerrillas of undermining the talks and said the 48-year conflict — one of Asia’s longest-running rebellions — may continue if the rebels don’t accept his conditions.
Duterte told reporters Sunday that he had asked his adviser on the talks, Jesus Dureza, and chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III to stick to four new conditions he has laid down, including the forging of a joint cease-fire and an end to extortion by the rebels and their claims to rural territories. All military, police and civilians held by the rebels should also be freed, he said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told school children on Monday he would not hesitate to kill to protect them from the scourge of drugs and encouraged them to enlist in the army to defend the country from its enemies.
Speaking during a Boys Scouts’ ceremony at the presidential palace, Duterte did not mince words, saying he would kill dealers “if you touch our children”.
Duterte has repeatedly rebuffed international criticism about his bloody war on drugs, during which more than 8,000 people have been killed since he took power on June 30 last year.
Police have taken responsibility for a third of those deaths, citing self-defence during anti-narcotics operations.
Philippine soldiers killed “more than 10” Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in an attempt to free Vietnamese captives held on a remote southern island as troops fired howitzer shells on rebel positions, an army general said on Monday.
The small but violent militant group, known for extortion, beheading and kidnap-for-ransom activities, is holding more than two dozen captives on Jolo island. It beheaded a German captive two months ago when no ransom was paid for his release.
Major-General Carlito Galvez, military commander of western Mindanao, said 32 soldiers were also wounded in Sunday’s assault on an Abu Sayyaf hideout in Talipao town, where the militants were believed to be holding six Vietnamese captives.
Philippine authorities said Monday that have arrested three South Koreans wanted in their home country, including a man who allegedly swindled his compatriots of more than $5 million.
Interpol had issued red notices for the three and coordinated their arrests with Philippine police and the immigration bureau, said the Philippines’ national police chief, Ronald dela Rosa.
Among the three is 32-year-old Yong Ho Jeon, who was arrested March 25 in his rented condominium in metropolitan Manila after hiding in the Philippines for two years, dela Rosa said. South Korea’s Jeonju District Court has issued an arrest warrant for him on fraud charges.