Duterte closes door on coalition gov't with Reds

A coalition government with communists would spark a mutiny among security forces, President Duterte said Tuesday, as he blamed the rebels anew for the collapse of the peace talks.

Duterte said a coalition government would mean sharing a part of the Philippines’ sovereignty, something that he is not allowed to do.

“I studied the working papers and the sum total is a coalition government. I told them I cannot give what I don’t have. It’s a thing of sovereignty and you know...the one that represents sovereignty are the elected choice of the people,” Duterte said in an anti-corruption summit in Pasay.

“It cannot be shared by somebody just because you’re fighting a revolution and you want to fix it by having a coalition government. The military, even the police, will launch a coup d’état and I will lose my head. That’s for sure,” he added.

Duterte said several policemen and soldiers have died because of the armed struggle waged by the Maoist guerillas.

“There are policemen and Army men who have died and then I will coalesce with them and the wound runs deep? They (military) will kill me and they will arrest me and what? This is not something I can distribute,” he added.

The President previously said he terminated the peace talks with the communist rebels because they wanted to establish a coalition government, something he described as “pure nonsense.” He also cited the New People’s Army (NPA) attacks that resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians including a four-month-old infant in Bukidnon.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said a formal notice is not necessary to terminate the negotiations with the communists.

“What else do they want? The President already issued a proclamation saying it’s been terminated. It’s not as if the NDF (National Democratic Front) has a status of a state. It’s not as if we’re dealing with a treaty entered into between state parties. That’s enough that there is a formal proclamation,” Roque said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“Whether or not they will be given a formal letter of termination, to me, that would be superfluous. Get a copy of the proclamation and it’s very clear: Peace talks are over for now,” he added.

Roque was referring to Proclamation No. 360 formally ending the peace negotiations with the rebels. 

Duterte said security forces would also oust him If he establishes a dictatorship, one of the allegations hurled at him by his critics.

“That’s why there is always a revolution. If you overstay? I become a dictator? Yayariin din ako ng military (the military will go after me) same with what happened in the past,” the President said.

“You overstay, you abuse...there will always be attempts of coup d’état and mutiny,” he added.

Duterte said the issue of graft and corruption can always be used to overthrow a leader.

He also reminded government forces to be ready as terrorists can always stage retaliatory attacks

“They will seek revenge. It could be more lethal,” the President said.

But the tough-talking leader is unfazed by the threats, saying he is prepared to skin terrorists alive.

“You bring out the worst in me, I’ll eat you alive,” he added.