Duterte tells NPA: If you want vaccine vs coronavirus, don’t fight with military

July 31, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte said the government can provide free vaccine against the coronavirus disease to the members of the communist New People's Army if they will stop fighting the military at least until December.

Duterte made the statement as he expressed optimism that by December there can already be a vaccine.

"Will I allow the NPA to have vaccine? If you stop fighting for a while during the period, or until December because my soldiers would be busy monitoring, supervising, don't attack them, you can join, you can line up. And even if you announce that you are an NPA, it's okay," he said in a taped televised message on Thursday night but aired only on Friday morning.

However, Duterte said he is not afraid of the NPA.

"But as a matter of humanity because it is not our money and because you are a Filipino, it's okay with me," he said.

He added that he did not want the Maoist rebels saying they lost in fighting the government because they are sick.

"You do not want to shoot a half dead. If they don't have the vaccine, they are almost a half dead walking around. So the soldiers won't be ashamed to shoot them. Make them strong. Really it's because you are a Filipino and it is the people's money," he said.

Duterte clarified that what he wants is not a unilateral ceasefire.

"This is not a unilateral ceasefire. I'm just telling you, stop it, just stop it and allow the normal process of helping the country go ahead," he added.

Duterte has terminated the peace talks with the communist rebels since the latter part of 2017 for committing atrocities. Celerina Monte/DMS