Duterte admits befriending communists to get their votes

President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been vociferous in his condemnation of communist rebels, on Thursday admitted that he befriended them in the past to get their vote.

Duterte made the disclosure during a speech during the Joint Meeting of the National Task Force - Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in Eastern Visayas in Tacloban City, Leyte.

“I had a chance to, you know, istorya-istorya noon sa mga komunista. Kaibigan ko sila until now. Pero noon, boto lang ako, eleksyon eh. Pagka eleksyon, maski sino, basta makaboto, makakuha ka ng boto, okay na,” Duterte said.

[I shared stories with communists. They are my friends, until now. But in the past, I was after their votes, it was an election. In an election, whoever it is is, as long as they can vote, you get their votes, that’s okay].

Duterte, however, said it was all in the past, saying he risks being removed from post as President via a military coup if he continues befriending communists.

“Noon ‘yon. Pero ngayon kasi ako, from mayor to president, at napasa sa akin ang burden of governance,” he said.

[That was in the past. Now,  from being a mayor, I am the President, and I shouldered the burden of governance].

“I cannot do otherwise because I will be guilty of treason. Yayariin ako ng mga military, sigurado ‘yan. Kaya ako talaga nagsabi, ‘pag naamoy ng military na naglalaro kami dito sa itaas mga elected officials, p_ng ina, kinabukasan mag-coup d’ etat ‘yan,” he added.

[The military will depose me, that is for sure. That is why, I really said, if the military got wind of this, they will go on a coup d’ etat by tomorrow]. — BM, GMA News