Sun.Star Davao

Joma 'losing it'

Pulong says of CPP leader accusing him, PRRD as drug protectors

- By Juliet C. Revita

FORMER Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte lambasted Communist Party of the Philippine­s (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison for his recent statement accusing him and his father, President Rodrigo Duterte, as the biggest protector of narcotics trade in the country.

“Joma Sison’s accusation that my father and I are the biggest protectors of illegal drugs in the country confirms that the founder of the oldest terror group in Southeast Asia is completely losing it,” the Presidenti­al son said.

He added, “The statement sounded insanely absurd as it was a repetition of, if not inspired by, an old gossip propagated and sowed around by

an anti-Duterte Senator who is also a rabid anti-communist.”

It can be recalled that Duterte’s staunch critic Senator Antonio Trillanes IV had previously implicated Paolo in the controvers­ial multi-billion drug smuggling and tagged him as a member of an internatio­nal drug syndicate.

The younger Duterte said Sison is only spreading false accusation, calling him "a pathologic­al liar himself". He said the latter's move was merely aimed to discredit the government’s effort and its strong campaign against illegal drugs.

“This echolalia showed how much Sison was willing to take for the sake of public attention, propaganda, and significan­ce. It also showed the nature of his politics and principles — where it’s acceptable for enemies to sleep together in one bed, speak one language, and unify forces and work together until the common target is toppled down,” the former vice mayor said.

The Government of the Republic of the Philippine­s (GRP) had reset the planned resumption of peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippine­sNational Democratic Front (CPPNDF) and will only go back to the negotiatin­g table once the trust and confidence has been establishe­d. They also said that there is a need to engage the public for consultati­ons.

“Sison and his organizati­ons — the CPP-NDFP-NPA — will be remembered in history for their contributi­on in the revolution that victimized the oppressed, the poor, and ultimately, the growth and developmen­t of the Philippine­s. Sison, the father of the oldest terror group in Southeast Asia, is a disgrace to this country,” Paolo said in his statement. JCR

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