Duterte to lumads: Trust soldiers, not NPA fighters

President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the lumads or indigenous peoples to trust the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and not the New People's Army (NPA).

At a summit in Davao City on Wednesday, he pointed out that the government has assisted the lumads while the NPA fighters only extort from them.

“Kinsay magpalit sa inyo og oxygen? Kinsay magbayad sa inyong ospital? Kinsay magbayad sa inyong sakyanan para magdala sa inyong masakiton? Ang NPA? T— ina. NPA mutubag ana? Kamo pa'y pangayu-an. Pangayu-on pa mo unya hadlokon mo sa tanang panahon,” Duterte said.

“Ang sundalo muingon man lang na ‘pakatulga mi,’ dili kay manglakaw man na. Tutal, sundalo man ninyo na. Ngano inyo mang awayon? Dapat ang sundalo mao’y inyong tagaa’g pabor. Ayaw  nang NPA kay NPA mangayo gyud na, hasta bugas,” he added.

[Who paid for your oxygen? Who paid for your hospitalization? Who paid for the vehicle that took your ailing members? The NPA? Son of a b—. The NPA answered for those? They only ask from you. They will only extort from you and scare you all the time.

The soldiers will only say, ‘let us sleep,’ they will leave anyway. After all, they are your soldiers. Why are you fighting with them? You should favor the soldiers. Not the NPA because the NPA will only ask from you, even uncooked rice.]

Duterte also told the lumads that the soldiers will never harass their family.

“Are there any soldiers who touched your wife’s legs?” he said in Visayan.

Duterte also urged the lumads to tell him the location of the NPA camps and asked them to stay away from these.

“Naay mga kampo ning NPA diri. Inyong buhaton, sibat lang mo. Kay adtuon ko gyud ni. Imong mga sundalo, adtua ni. Pagka… Mao na, limpyo na. Gusto mo diri mupuyo una, ibalhin ta mo. Isulti lang sa ako ug asa sila. Ako’y mupalupad sa chopper, kamo ma’y gunner. Duha na. Parehas sa sine gud,” he said.

[There are NPA camps here. What you will do, just stay away. Because I will go to these camps. Your soldiers will go to these camps. Clean them up. You can stay here first then I will transfer you. Just tell me where they are. I will fly the chopper, you will hold the gunner. Two. Just like in the movies.]

Duterte also announced the release of P100 million for lumads’ livelihood programs and agricultural development. He also promised them housing units and jobs.

“Nagkasinabot ta? Nagkasinabot ba ta? Basi’g wa ta magkasinabot ani ha. Basta magsugod ta run. Ugma, naa ko’y ihatag ninyo. Iprepara inyong kaugalingan for the eventual relocation if that is what you want,” he said.

“But as of now, kung tan-aw ninyo delikado, I will build temporary shelters. Unya buhatan ta mo ug permanent one… Unya trabaho. Okay na?” he added.

[Am I understood? Do we understand each other? Maybe we are not clear with each other. We will start soon. Tomorrow, I have something to give you. Prepare yourselves for an eventual relocation if that is what you want.

But as of now, if you think it is dangerous, I will build temporary shelters. Then, I will build you a permanent one… And give you jobs. Is that okay?]

Since he canceled the peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Duterte has declared the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines as terrorist organizations. —KBK, GMA News