Duterte warns Left against staging riots amid COVID-19 crisis

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday warned leftists against staging riots amid the uncertainty caused by the community quarantines imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Duterte made the remark hours after residents of an urban poor community gathered on EDSA supposedly to wait for relief goods.

Members of the group were later arrested for allegedly defying policemen who told them to disperse and go home.

"Remember kayong mga left, you are not the government. Naintindihan niyo 'yan? Hindi kayo nasa gobyerno and you cannot be part of what you are planning to do for the nation," Duterte said in a nationally televised address.

"Kaya 'wag kayo mag-gawa ng kalokohan at mag-riot riot diyan because I will order you detained at bibitawan ko kaya pagkatapos na wala na itong COVID," he added.

Duterte said leftists should not threaten him with violence amid the cisis.

"Huwag ninyo akong takutin ng gulo-gulo kasi kung gusto talaga ninyo ng gulo, guguluhin natin ang bayan natin tutal wala pa namang pagkain. Kung gusto ninyo nung barilan, eh ‘di sige. Gusto ninyo ng pukpukan, sige. I will not hesitate," Duterte said.

"My orders are sa pulis pati military, pati mga barangay na pagka-ginulo at nagkaroon ng okasyon na lumaban at ang buhay ninyo ay nalagay sa alanganin, shoot them dead," he added.

Duterte mentioned the urban poor advocacy group Kadamay.

"Kayong mga Kadamay, wala nang awa-awa, Dyan na kayo. I will not tolerate yan. Do no play hero at this time because you will encourage people to violate the law," Duterte said.

"Hindi kasi ako sanay nang takot takutin, not me," he added. -NB, GMA News