President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he might declare Martial Law if NPA rebels would continue to kill the government’s soldiers, during his public address aired Friday.
“Kaya ngayon’ pag nagpatuloy kayo ng lawlessness niyo, patay dito, patay doon, maybe I will declare martial law because kayong mga NPA ang numero uno,” Duterte said.
(If you continue with your lawlessness, killing here and there, maybe I will declare martial law because you NPAs are instigators)
“Kinukuha ninyo ang tulong sa tao pati supply pagkain nila. Kaya I am now warning everybody and putting notice on this sa Armed forces and sa pulis. I might declare martial law. And there will be no turning back,” he added.
(You are stealing the help given to people, even their food supplies. So now I am warning everybody and putting a notice on this to the Armed forces and police. I might declare martial law. And there will be no turning back.)
Duterte threatens to declare Martial Law if NPA rebels continue its lawlessness
Duterte also said he would try to “finish” the NPA rebels in the remaining two years of his term as the President of the Philippines.
“Ang utos ko sa kanila, ‘Patayin kayo? O di patayin ninyo sila.’ Lahat na. Tapusin na natin ito sa panahon ko. I have two more years. I will try to finish all of you,” he said.
(My order to them, if they are going to kill you, then kill them. All of them. Let us finish them in my time. I have two more years. I will try to finish all of you.)
NPA rebels killed three soldiers and injured four others when they clashed with the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Carabalan in Himamaylan City, Negros, on Sunday.
AFP meanwhile reported Wednesday gunmen who believed to be New People’s Army (NPA) rebels killed two soldiers and injured three others on Tuesday in Maria Aurora, Aurora province.
An NPA gunman and a government soldier were killed Philippine Army Community Support Program (CSP) Team, and communist insurgents clashed in Barangay Puray in Rodriguez on March 28.
On March 18, the government declared a ceasefire with the NPA as the country prioritizes fighting the deadly virus. The Communist Party of the Philippines or CPP-NPA agreed on March 25.