In COVID-19 briefing, Duterte offers P2 million reward for killers of NPA commanders

In a COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte offered a P2 million reward for each individual who will be able to kill or pinpoint the hideout of top New People’s Army (NPA) commanders. 

“Kapag nakapatay kayo ng commander, nakaturo kayo [kung] saan natutulog iyong commander, sabihin niyo sa akin. P2 million [ang reward] 'pag top commander,” Duterte said in a meeting with Cabinet members on Monday night to discuss the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“P2 million kung sino makaturo sa Army o police. Kung commander na mabigat, may hati ka diyan sa pera. Pasa mo sa taga gobyerno [ang impormasyon]. Huwag sa governor o mayor, kasi may simpatiya rin iyan sa NPA. Huwag na tayo maglokohan,” Duterte added.

The President then said the recipient of such reward will also be whisked away from his or her hometown for safety reasons. 

“Alisin kita sa lugar mo. Kung taga Abra ka, ihatid kita sa Mindanao. Sa mga Ilocano, bigyan kita ng lupa. Kasi kung hindi, papatayin ka talaga,” Duterte said.

“You will have a new identity, like you are under the Witness Protection Program (WPP). It need not be under the WPP, but I will order that you will be treated [as someone] under WPP,” Duterte added.

Duterte then mocked the communists’ push for land reform, saying that there are so many lands available. 

“Putris na NPA ito. Marami ang lupa. Sige ako na ang land reform, bigay ng lupa. 'Di kailangan magpatayan sa land reform,” Duterte said.

Duterte deals with NPA

The President, however, admitted that he used to mingle and make deals with the NPA when he was the mayor of Davao City. 

“Mga military, nagdududa sa akin. Ano ba talaga laro ni Duterte? Kasi iyong mga nahuhuli [ng NPA] na sundalo, government officials, kinukuha ko sa bukid. Nakikipag-usap ako sa NPA,” Duterte said.

“Kung mayor, mapatawad ko…maglaro ka. Boto ‘yan eh. Sabi ko sa mga military, boto ‘yan kaya,” Duterte added.

?The President claimed that he even paid for the burial of a slain NPA member and attended the funeral.

“Sabi sa akin, saan namin dalhin [ang patay]? Buang, sa punerarya. Sino magbayad? Sagot nila, wala naman iba, mayor. Ikaw man. [Kaya] ako nagbayad,” Duterte said.

He then said he cannot do that anymore since he will risk being shot by the soldiers whom he leads as Commander-in-Chief in his capacity as President.

“Noon ‘yun, [na] mayor ako. Ngayon na ako ang ka-batas, mahirap ‘yun. Hindi na maganda tignan kung gawin ko pa iyan. Kung gawin ko ‘yan ngayon, ang magbaril sa akin, si General [Carlito] Galvez,” Duterte said, referring to the former Armed Forces chief of staff turned chief of the National Task Force Against COVID-19. —KG, GMA News