Duterte: I consider CPP-NPA-NDF a terrorist group

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said he now considers the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF) a "terrorist group."

Duterte made the pronouncement in Cagayan de Oro City a day after he ordered the termination of peace talks with the communist group.

The President was visiting the wake of three soldiers reportedly killed by NPA rebels on Wednesday last week, the same day that the communist group announced the termination of unilateral ceasefire with the government.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines reported on Friday that the three soldiers were killed by NPA rebels. On the same day, Duterte lifted the government's unilateral ceasefire with the communist group.

Addressing soldiers and families in a mix of Bisaya, Tagalog, and English, the President scored the CPP-NPA-NDF.

"Nagmamagandang loob ka na nga, napapahiya pa ako sa sagot ng pu-----. Akala mo kung sino," he said. "You give them all the leeway and you return to me a stupid... From now on, I will consider the CPP-NPA-NDF a terrorist group."

The President said he has also ordered the military and the Bureau of Immigration "to be on the lookout" for NDF consultants who were among political prisoners he ordered released as part of the peace negotiations.

"Arestuhin ninyo sila ulit," he said, then noted that it would be "ignominious ... to die in somebody else's country." —ALG, GMA News