Rody recalls life as NPA hostage

When communist rebels pointed an M-14 rifle at his head, President Duterte thought about his third child who was still in the womb of his wife.

Duterte, then a prosecutor, was held hostage by the New People’s Army (NPA) and underwent trial by what he called a “kangaroo” court because of his role in the imprisonment of some rebels.

“I could feel the cold steel here in the (temple)… The first thing that crossed my mind was my son, still in the womb of my wife,” Duterte said, referring to his youngest son Sebastian, during graduation rites of the Philippine National Police Academy class 2017 yesterday in Cavite.

“I told them it’s OK for me to die. Everyone will die. If it’s my time, it’s my time,” he added.

Duterte said he made a request to the rebels who wanted to execute him.

“Let the world know that you killed me because of my job. That’s it. Just a little favor... That you killed me because I was doing the prosecution work against your comrades,” he said.

Duterte said the rebels decided not to push through with their threat.

“The fools did not push through with my execution. Now, when I go to their area, they cook for me and guard me. Well, that’s life,” Duterte remarked.

Duterte narrated the anecdote as he was explaining the benefits that his administration provides to policemen and their families.

“We fathers, especially those with young children, what bugs us when we go out to fight and even to travel to dangerous places,” he said. Duterte then vowed to build a multibillion-peso trust fund for policemen’s families and to give jobs to the widows of fallen law enforcers.

Duterte terminated talks with communist rebels last February after they insisted on their demand to free their jailed colleagues with criminal cases.