Duterte sets condition for prisoner release
DAVAO CITY – Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte has pulled back on the throttle about his plan to free all political prisoners. Leaders of the communist movement, he said should first return to the country and participate in peace talks with the government.
“You must come here. We must be talking to each other,” Duterte said during an impromptu press conference Monday night.
According to him, any resolution of conflict, particularly on the release of the political prisoners, “should be (done in) good faith, (because it is) a show of confidence.”
Duterte likewise reiterated his invitation to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison, who is currently on exile in Utrecht, The
to return to the country.
“If (Sison) wants to talk, and join the government, he could,” he added.
Duterte pointed out that if the leaders of the CPP and the National Democratic Front (NDF) would come back to the Philippines and “would be willing to talk peace, peace will come to the land.”
“I suppose we can work together to have a peaceful nation. Yan ang habol ko (That’s what I’m after),” he stressed.
Earlier, Duterte said he was willing to order the release of political prisoners as a gesture of goodwill with the CPP-NDF, which, together with their military arm the New People’s Army (NPA), have been in armed struggle with the government for more than four decades.
He has also offered key agencies of government – the Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to be headed by the communist movement.
Sison lauded Duterte’s gesture but declined any post in government although they reserved the right to recommend an appropriate candidate for the post.
Recently, Duterte named former Justice Secretary and peace negotiator Silvestre Bello III as Labor secretary.
Three Dutertes On June 30, there will be three Dutertes who will be taking their respective oaths of office.
Lawyer Sarah Duterte Carpio will replace the incoming 16th president of the Republic as Davao City mayor. Her sibling, Paolo, is the city’s vice mayor.
Most likely, the Duterte patriarch said he will be his lonesome at his inaugural. And he is feeling bad that he can’t attend the oath-taking of his children.
“How could I be here (in Davao)? Wala naman akong bilocation. I could not be here and there at the same time. It’s just too bad I can’t be here with my two children,” he said.
Duterte wanted a simple inauguration at the Malacañang Palace where he intends to keep the guest list to 150 to include members of the diplomatic corps and generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Sa inauguration sabi ko nga simple lang (For my inauguration, as I said, I want it to just be simple). I will take my oath of office not in Luneta (Quirino Grandstand) because I will just create a monstrous traffic congestion I hate putting pressure on people and become an inconvenience to everybody,” he said.
Strict mining laws Duterte noted that existing laws do not allow a total ban on mining in the country but “there are stringent measures not (being) followed by mining companies.”
“I will be strict in the rules regarding the protection of our environment,” the mayor emphasized.
He surmised that former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro is having second thoughts about taking the defense portfolio because of the present state of affairs. Teodoro sits as chairman of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) which is a privately owned company.
“I called (Teodoro) initially. Yun ang sinabi niya, to give him more time to think and ponder. Nahirapan siya. Parang ayaw,” Duterte bared.
Teodoro denied he turned down Duterte’s offer but bidded for more time.
Smell around In Monday’s freewheeling press briefing, Duterte also weighed in on the tragic death of five concert-goers in Pasay city.
“Usually, ang ganung rock concert, ganyan lalabas ang droga (Usually, during rock concerts, drugs surface). It is being passed around like candies. But I am not yet the president, it behooves upon the Pasay City government and the police, which has jurisdiction (over the Mall of Asia Arena) to look into this incident. The PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) or maybe NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) may pitch in,” Duterte said.
He likewise urged authorities to be more vigilant when it comes to monitoring rock concerts.
“Government security must be able to smell around and to arrest immediately (any suspects),” Duterte said.
Pro-Hillary
Asked who was he rooting for in the United States primaries, Duterte said he is hoping Hillary Clinton would win the presidential race because “Donald Trump hates Muslims,” he explained. Duterte has kept close ties with Muslims, which comprise about 17 percent of the population in Mindanao.
On the issue of handling drug offenders, Duterte does not “begrudge” Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili for parading drug pushers around his town in a “shame campaign.”
“I am lawyer and I know we’re not supposed to do that. But I will not begrudge the mayor. I won’t even comment on it,” he said.