Palace on Duterte’s shoot armed NPA order: An arms-bearing rebel is a proper military target

President Rodrigo Duterte is within bounds to order security forces to shoot at armed members of the New People's Army, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in a phone interview with reporters said that carrying firearms illegally is a crime.

"Of course (he is within bounds), because anyone who bears arms is guilty of rebellion. The crime of rebellion is the crime of taking up arms against the government," he said.

"So natural, so when you are bearing arms against the government you are engaged in crime, you are supposed to implement the law and yes, the President has that power to implement the law. It is a domestic, not an international armed conflict, and an arms-bearing rebel is a proper military target," he added.

Before he sent off Vietnamese fishermen in Sual, Pangasinan on Wednesday, Duterte said the police and the military should shoot at an armed NPA member or a terrorist, never mind the human rights advocates. He said the NPA member or terrorist would shoot at the government's security personnel anyway.

The President also said that an executive order is being prepared to declare the NPA as a terrorist organization.

"No fixed date, but the President has said that he will do that," Roque said. —KG, GMA News