Duterte calls for ‘severe measures’ against NPA

In the wake of the spate of killings in Negros Oriental, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the military to give the communist rebels “what they deserve,” as he reiterated his plan to implement “severe measures” to address the country’s peace and order problems.In his speech at the distribution of land certificates to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Davao City on Friday night, Duterte blamed the New People’s Army (NPA) for the killings in the country, particularly in Negros Oriental.“You have crossed the red line. There never was a time that the military or myself allowed torture or to hurt people who surrendered from the NPAs or captured. I will never allow it,” Duterte warned.“I served notice the other day that I will not take it sitting down. I’ve been telling you, I will implement a more severe measure. What is it? Maghintay lang kayo. Kasi sabi ko sumosobra na kayo (Just you wait. You have gone overboard),” he added.On the series of killings in Negros Oriental, the president said he would not allow the NPA to overpower the local government.“The local government’s down. I will give you tit for tat. That’s my order to the military. Give them what they deserve,” he said.“They are not fighting a conventional war. They are not obeying the Geneva Convention,” he added.The palace earlier said martial law might be declared in Negros to address the security problem there. The president insisted that the killings in Negros Oriental were not sanctioned by the government. “Itong mga komunista (These communists), they’re blaming government for the killings when, actually, you started the spate of murders there. Ang pinakamarami na may tama (Most of those killed), the hardest hit are a group of government men — soldiers, policemen and people who are openly for the government, and mga barangay (village) captain,” he said.“Why would I kill? What for? If I can use your carcass as a fertiliser, I might do that to increase the yield,” the president added. “The reason why we cannot develop fully is the countryside is infested with parasites like you,” he said. “Sumosobra na kayo (you have gone too far).”“I am short of policemen and soldiers. But you cannot do it (killings) unrestrained, unbridled, uncontrolled as if you are the killing machine of the Philippines,” he added.On July 26, human rights group Karapatan alleged that the killings in Negros Oriental worsened following the deployment of additional state forces in the province. At least 17 people have been killed in different areas in Negros Oriental from July 18 -July 27.Duterte slammed Karapatan, whom he described as “a group of devils in the Philippines.”“Ang Karapatan is a front (of the communists), just like our barangay captains are our legal fronts. Kayong mga Karapatan ang samahan ng demonyo sa Pilipinas (Yours is a group of devils in the Philippines),” the president said.