President Rodrigo Duterte said communist rebels are the top threat to the Philippines, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic currently grappling the country. The president claims that communists are even more dangerous than the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf Group.
“Actually, the number 1 threat to the country, hindi Abu Sayyaf. Hindi ‘yang mga terorista of no value. Itong mga high-valued targets, itong mga komunista. Kaya ang utos ko talaga sa Armed Forces, sa sundalo, upakan mo. Upakan mo,” he said
[Actually, the number one threat to the country is not the Abu Sayyaf. Not those terrorists with no value. The communists are the high-valued targets. So my order to the Armed Forces, to the soldiers, take them out. Take them out.]
The President slammed the alleged raids of NPA on the distribution of the first tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP).
“This time ipatikim mo sa tao ‘yung kanila talaga. ‘Yung una kinuha ninyo eh,” Duterte said.
[This time let the people have what are really theirs. You took the first one.]
