Palace to Sison: Wake up, stop dreaming about Duterte’s ouster

MALACAÑANG on Monday, July 2, belittled the communist movement’s competence to oust President Rodrigo Duterte and told its founder, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, to “wake up” and “stop dreaming” about destabilizing the government.

Speaking to reporters in Maasin City, Leyte, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. slammed the “arrogant” Sison for being too confident that the communist party is capable of unseating Duterte.

“Talagang mayabang po talaga itong si Joma Sison. Akala niya siya ang savior ng bansa. Mantakin niyo, patatalsikin daw nila si Presidente. Hindi raw matatapos ang termino (Joma Sison is really arrogant. He thinks he

is the savior of the country. Imagine, he said he would oust the President. He also claimed that the President’s would not be able to finish his term),” Duterte’s mouthpiece said.

Roque’s statement came four days after Sison announced that the communist leaders would no longer pursue the peace dialogue with the Philippine government, and would instead participate in moves to oust Duterte.

Sison, in a statement on June 28, claimed it was “relatively easier and more productive” for the communist party to remove Duterte from office.

Roque was confident that Sison, who has been in self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987, has no capability of toppling the Duterte government since the communist founder was away from the country for decades.

“Joma Sison, gumising ka na. Managinip ka na. Hindi ka pipwedeng mantalsik ng gobyerno habang ika’y nasa Europa. Napakatagal mo na diyan. Umuwi ka rito at ikaw ay mamuhay dito sa Pilipinas nang makita mo, iba na ang kondisyon (Joma Sison, wake up already. You’re just dreaming. You cannot oust the government while you are in Europe. You have been there for a long time. Go home and live here in the Philippines for you to realize that the situation here has already changed),” he said.

“’Yung mga pinapanaginip mo, hindi na mangyayari. Napakaganda na ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Bagamat meron pa ring kahirapan, napakadami nang naka-ahon sa hirap. Palibhasa napakatagal mo diyang nagpapakasasa sa ibang lugar, hindi mo na alam kung anong kondisyon dito sa Pilipinas (Your dream would no longer happen. The country’s economy has been improving. While poverty remains a problem, many have already escaped poverty. You don’t know what’s happening here in the Philippines because you’re living your life to the fullest in the other country),” he added.

Duterte earlier postponed the resumption of talks with the communist leaders to personally review the existing peace agreements signed during the past administrations, as well as to seek public consultation.

The President’s decision prompted Sison to call off the peace negotiations with the government.

But Roque put the blame solely on Sison.

“Hindi po kasalanan ng gobyerno na hindi natuloy ang peace talks. Si Joma Sison po ang umayaw (It is not the government’s fault that the peace talks did not resume. It was Joma Sison who called off the negotiations),’” he said, noting Duterte even gave in to the communists’ demands to come up with an agreement that would bring lasting peace and order in the country.

“Ang masasabi ko lang po, tama na ang dakdak. Kung gusto mo talagang makatulong sa ating mga kababayan, umuwi ka dito at maging bahagi ka ng pagbubuo ng isang mas kumportableng bayan para sa lahat ng sambayanang Pilipino (All I could say is stop yakking. If you really want to help our fellow countrymen, return home and join us in bringing a comfortable life for the Filipino people).”