Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 22) — President Rodrigo Duterte wants rebels behind the brutal killing of four police officers dead.
Duterte had offered a ₱1-million reward for the capture of gunmen who killed four police officers in Ayungon town, Negros Oriental on July 18. The Philippine National Police believes members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), were behind the killing.
Speaking to reporters after his fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duterte said he prefers to see the killers dead.
“Mas gusto kong patay sila. Kung patay sila magdadagdag pa ako ng [300,000]. So it’s [P1.3 million], just bring me the head of that idiot leader there,” Duterte said.
He said the policemen had “traumatic blows” all over their bodies. The PNP (Philippine National Police) earlier identified the victims as PCpl. Relebert Beronio, and Patrolmen Raffy Callo, Roel Cabellon, and Marquino de Leon.
The PNP has said the attack shows the communist rebels’ lack of sincerity in talking peace with the government.
Duterte walked away from on-off peace negotiations with the rebels in November 2017 as both sides accused each other of ceasefire violations.
The talks were supposed to resume in June 2018, but Duterte had it postponed for a supposed review of all previous agreements with the rebels. The administration has since pushed for a policy whereby local government officials will talk peace with rebels, an idea that the CPP has repeatedly rejected.
The government has called on NPA rebels to participate in localized peace talks and leave the CPP, the largest communist organization in the country which has waged a five-decade insurgency. Duterte has offered houses and livelihood assistance to surrenderees.
