Duterte to NPA: ‘You are almost the same as ISIS’

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte convenes with some members of his cabinet and local government officials to discuss the extent of the Typhoon Urduja’s damage as well as the response and relief efforts on the typhoon-stricken areas at the Naval State University in Naval, Biliran Province on December 18, 2017. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

After tagging the Communist Part of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), as a terrorist organization, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that he finds them no different to the international terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS).

The chief executive expressed his deep disappointment towards the Red rebels after its recent attack on soldiers who were on a humanitarian mission to Northern Samar to aid those affected by tropical depression Urduja.

“I am sick and tired of talking to you. Almost pareho kayo ng ISIS (You are almost the same as ISIS). It’s an empty thing. There is no ideology except to destroy and kill,” Duterte said on Monday, December 18 during a speech at Camp Crame.

Duterte, who earlier decided to terminate any peace negotiations with the rebels, reiterated that he is no longer interested to resume discussions with the Reds.

“There is no point in talking to you. There’s not even a single factor of a revolutionary there. You go around asking money, robbing the poor tapos ‘yung mga asawa sa taga-bukid, hinihipo ninyo (then you molest the wives of those from the countryside),” he said.

The President added that the ideology the communists have nurtured for years had been gone.

“l’d say that this is something which I have been telling you all along. It does not have the ideology anymore,” he said.

Duterte earlier released a forceful order to the military and police to shoot any armed NPA.

“So, if there is an armed NPA there or terrorists, if he’s holding any firearms, shoot. And tell any ako na ang magsagot [I will answer], you just shut up,” Duterte said

[READ: PRRD orders military, police: ‘Shoot any armed NPA rebels]