Rody to Maute matriarch: No ceasefire, peace talks

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  – President Duterte yesterday thumbed down anew the overture of the matriarch of the notorious Maute clan for a possible ceasefire and peace talks with the government amid the continued siege in Marawi City that has already claimed almost 200 lives. 

“Iyong casualties natin, medyo mabigat, kaya sabi nila na mag-usap iyong nanay ni Maute, sabi ko (We suffered heavy casualties so they said I should talk to the mother of the Mautes, I said), ‘No, I will not.’ I will not talk anymore kasi marami na ang sundalo ko namatay. Marami nang pulis ko namatay. P***** i**, huwag mo akong bolahin diyan usap-usap na ’yan (because many of my soldiers have died. Many of my policemen have died. Son of a b****, do not fool me with those talks). Not anymore,” the President said in a pep talk with soldiers of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat yesterday afternoon. 

Duterte was referring to Ominta “Farhana” Romato, the first wife of Cayamora Maute, the patriarch of the clan who was arrested Tuesday morning in an Army-led Task Force Davao checkpoint in Barangay Sirawan here. Romato herself remains at large.

Maute and Romato are said to be the brains behind the organization, networking and operation of the Maute group. 

Duterte said he would only talk to the new generation Maranaos and not the older ones like Romato.

“Pagkatapos diyan mag-usap tayo. Right after. ‘Pag naubos silang lahat diyan (Once they are all dead), then I will talk to the new generation. Sabi ko, ‘Maranao man tayo, sige mag-usap tayong mabuti’ (I said, ‘we are Maranaos, so let’s talk properly’),” the President said. 

Duterte pointed out that some of these Maranaos have been responsible for the entry of the Islamic State (IS)’s foreign fighters to the country and are the ones actually destroying Marawi. 

“Bakit sisirain mo ’yung lugar mo? Gago pala kayo, eh (Why destroy your place? You are fools). Bakit ka magdala doon ng mga ISIS (Why bring ISIS there)? They are foreign, ang gawa nila doon magpatay ng tao tapos magsira ng ’yun lang (and they just want to kill people?) And they expect us to talk to them?” the President said. 

Duterte explained he is only willing to talk to Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Al Haj Murad of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and reiterated that he would only talk anew with the New People’s Army (NPA) if the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)/National Democratic Front would present him with a document on a permanent ceasefire duly signed by the Norwegian government as third party facilitator of the peace talks.

The President suspended the fifth round of talks with the CPP/NPA after the communist rebels continued to attack government forces despite the peace talks.

As the clashes in Marawi City dragged on, Duterte yesterday expressed optimism that “never in a million years” would the terrorists win over the government forces.