Duterte accuses NPA of committing sexual abuses

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday accused the New People's Army of committing sexual abuses.

"I do not want to talk to the communists anymore. I have been receiving reports, kayong mga komunista... roaming around everywhere and some of you, I have reports from anywhere, you are into molesting or sexually abusing 'yung mga tao sa bukid. Hinihipo ninyo 'yung mga babae at 'yung iba ninanakaw n'yo ang asawa," Duterte said during the 7th Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender (LGBT) gathering in Davao City.

"Is that the kind of revolution we have been fighting for 50 years? If you want another 50 years, so be it," Duterte said. "'Di ko talaga... kalokohan na ganon," he added.

Duterte has formally tagged the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the NPA, as terror groups after he terminated peace negotiations with the communist group.

Children-buying in Mindanao

In his speech, the President also condemned the supposed kidnapping activities in the Mindanao region, noting that he will treat kidnappers as drug lords.

"There are some tribes in Mindanao, maybe in Visayas and Luzon who's practice of buying children... Huminto kayo diyan or else I will treat you just like a drug lord. Slavery must stop. I cannot imagine a human being growing up in a family na di niya alam na di talaga siya ron, madami sa Davao ang kinikidnap. I will take a strong stance against this. I will not tolerate it," Duterte said.

"'Wag kayo pumasok diyan. Just imagine, magkidnap ka ng isang bata, ipabili mo doon sa ibang lugar and this woman will grow up believing talagang slave siya," he added.

Duterte assured the public that every individual will be "protected" during his term.

"You have my guarantee that everybody, at least during my term, will be protected and nurtured as human being, there will be no oppression and we will recognize your importance in the society," he said.

Last week, Congress granted Duterte's request to further extend the implementation of martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2018.

Duterte declared a 60-day martial law in Mindanao following the attack of the Maute group in Marawi City on May 23.

The declaration was supposed to lapse last July, but Congress granted his initial request to extend the Mindanao martial law until Dec. 31, 2017. —ALG, GMA News