Roque defends President’s order to shoot NPAs

Malacañang defended President Duterte’s order to soldiers and police to shoot any armed member of the New People’s Army (NPA) upon sight.

Critics of the President slammed his order, saying it goes against the law and the Constitution which have enshrined processes to determine if charges against the rebels are true, as well as penalties commensurate to a crime.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, in a text message Friday, said that it is either the military will shoot or get shot by the armed rebels.

“An armed NPA is a fighter who is a valid military target given that they are engaged in a non-intentional armed conflict with [the] government. They are also engaged in armed rebellion which is a crime,” Roque said.

“I assure you, no armed NPA will surrender to [the] authorities. The options are to shoot at an armed rebel or for our men in uniform to be shot at by them,” he added.

Earlier, the President said he intends to issue an Executive Order (EO) to declare the Communist Party of the PhilippinesNew People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as terrorists, after officially terminating the peace talks with the Reds.

He also revealed that he ordered military and the police to shoot armed NPAs upon sight.

“You see it almost every day without fail, NPA’s burning the equipment of business interest, foreign nationals. Kapag ganito (If it’s like this), and you live of the, not with the fat of the land but the fat of the pockets of … kinukolekta lahat (collecting everything), and extortion. So what will be my order to the [government forces], shoot them, they will kill you anyway,” Duterte said.

“So if there is an armed NPA there or terrorist, if he’s holding a firearm – shoot,” he said.

Roque earlier said that Duterte’s order is well within the bounds of combat.

“Because anyone who bears arms is (fusing) rebellion. The crime of rebellion is a crime of taking up arms against the government. So natural,” Roque said in an earlier phone interview with Palace reporters.

“When you are bearing arms against the government you are engaged in crime you are supposed to implement the law and yes, the President has that power to implement the law. It is a domestic, not an armed conflict, and an arms-bearing rebel is a proper military target,” he added.