Rody dares Joma: Come home

President Duterte challenged Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Ma. Sison to come home, saying he should not be staying in another country while his fighters are dying.

“If you are truly a revolutionary leader, my God, come home and fight here,” Duterte said on Thursday night during his visit to the wake of six policemen ambushed by communist rebels in Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental last July 21.

“All these years, you are in another country. A foreign government is spending money

and feeding you while your men, the NPA (New People’s Army), are dying. You are a coward. What kind of a leader is that?” he added.

The 78-year-old Sison has been in exile in the Netherlands since 1987.

Duterte and Sison have been trading barbs since the government canceled the peace talks earlier this week.

The negotiations were called off after the CPP ordered its armed wing, the NPA, to attack government forces enforcing Duterte’s martial law proclamation in Mindanao.

Duterte also urged the lumads or indigenous peoples not to believe in Sison, whom he said is suffering from colon cancer. The rebel leader has denied Duterte’s claim.

“Yung litrato ni Sison, parang diyos sa inyo. Maniwala kayo sa bugok na yan (You look up to Sison as if he were a god. Do not believe that fool),” the President said.

“Magre-revolution tapos magtatago doon sa ibang lugar. Dito tayo. Umuwi ka. Ako ang magsalubong sa iyo (You waged a revolution and then hid in another place. Come here and I will be the one to meet you),” he added.

“I really do not want to answer that old man. Come here. Earn my respect.”

Despite his tirades, Duterte said he does not really want to wage war against fellow Filipinos, including communist rebels.

“If possible, I do not want to fight with them. I hope there is a way to solve this without killing fellow Filipinos. It really pains me to see dead NPAs or Moros, especially if they are my soldiers or policemen. It’s a crazy war,” he said.

“I used to be a friend of the NPA. I can play politics then when I was mayor. Now, I don’t have the luxury anymore,” he explained.

Duterte urged NPA members to surrender and assured them of livelihood and employment.

“I will turn you into soldiers. If you want, you can keep your firearms as souvenirs,” he said.

‘He can’t question my courage’

Sison shot back, saying nobody, not even Duterte, can question his courage.

“I do not have to prove again that I have the revolutionary will and courage to wage armed struggle against oppression,” Sison wrote on a Facebook post.

“I was an active part of the people’s war against the Marcos regime for nine years, 1969 to 1977 and then went to fascist prison for another nine years. I surpass the field record of many reactionary military officers who are in the field for a few years until they are assigned desk jobs and then retire at the age of 56,” he added.

Sison went into exile in the Netherlands after the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. ended and he was freed by the first Aquino administration.

Sison also said Duterte cannot dictate his battles.

Duterte slams Casiño

Duterte also scored former Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casiño for saying that he went on the stage of militant groups last Monday without permission. The President faced protesters after delivering his second State of the Nation Address last Monday.

He said militant party-list nominees also went on his stage while he was running for mayor of Davao City, where he served as local chief executive for 23 years.

6 slain cops awarded

After castigating Sison and Casiño, Duterte awarded the Medalya ng Kadakilaan (medal of valor) to the six policemen killed by the NPA when he visited the wake on Thursday night.

He also gave P500,000 each to the families of the fallen cops and promised the children scholarships and employment to the widows.

The policemen killed were SPO2 Nacasio Pasculado Tabilon, PO3 Teovic Gador Agosto, PO2 Alvin Paul Alquizola Bulandres, PO2 Alfredo Lastimoso Dunque, SPO1 Jesael Ancheta and P/ Supt. Arnel Arpon.

The policemen were ambushed by around 60 members of the NPA as the cops responded to request by a city councilor for police assistance.