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By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte has implicated the New People's Army (NPA) in the recent killing of sugar farmers in Sagay, Negros Occidental.
The President said the communist rebels have a "style" of killing their comrades and putting the blame on the government.
President Duterte
(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"The incident in Bacolod, although I was not able to go back to where I was, I was going to go back, so … the style of the communists is they kill their own comrades and blame it on the (government) …, "Duterte said during an agrarian reform event in Cagayan de Oro last Wednesday.
"The NPAs are such fools," he added.
Last month, nine farmers occupying a sugar plantation in Sagay City were killed by unknown gunmen. The farmers were allegedly duped into joining the National Sugar Workers Federation by promising them land.
Following the incident, the police force has already filed charges against the two recruiters of the slain farmers.
The massacre of the Sagay farmers was part of the communist rebel group's plot to the President. The farmers were allegedly used by the rebels to incite hate against the Duterte administration.
In his visit to Cagayan de Oro, the President reiterated his opposition to the communist rebels against illegally occupying private and public properties. He said law enforcement agencies have been directed to evict and arrest illegal occupiers of lands.
He noted that the Negros incident was allegedly part of the communist rebels' strategy to illegally occupy lands.
"The communists are acting up now. The federation, where they are shot, they are new recruits. This means if they see a vacant lot, they occupy it. They forced some people to join their federation but the group said, 'Do not bring us because of this,' he said.
"They did not reach an understanding and they shot them. I feel very sorry for them. They were fooled by (Jose Maria) Sison's ideals, "he said.
Duterte urged the rebels to "act decently" and wait for the government's land reform program instead of illegally taking over lands.
He said he had directed Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones "to give up everything up for land reform in Bacolod."
"To my brothers and sisters who are with the NPA, if you want to land distribution, slow down and wait, we will claim the privately owned lands, but we will do it in accordance with the law," he said.
"Do not confiscate or sixteen gold occupy the lands that are already owned. Do not do that. Do not steal lands that already have supporters, "he added.
If illegal occupants violently resist arrest, Duterte said he has ordered the police to shoot them.
"Do not steal and kill people because you, my order to the police and the military is to have you evicted. They'll pick you up and if you resist, ah you will get bruised. I told them that if a person is armed, kill them, "he said.
In urging the rebels, Ayala subdivisions.
"If you want to own land in Ayala, just say so. I'll buy land for all of you. Do not steal. Gusto – where? Sige, go to Ayala and choose. We'll talk to Ayala, I'll tell him, "Sige, just give it away. We'll buy it at our pace, just do not steal, "he said.
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