“The CPP and NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) welcome the offer of 4 cabinet posts and thank President RD (Rodrigo Duterte) for his trust and confidence”, Sison told INQUIRER.net through an online interview.
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Speaking with Philippines Defense Minister Voltaire Gazmin, Carter said the two countries have been conducting joint patrols in the South China Sea and would increase them going forward to ensure security for the region’s waters.
“But I gave him an inkling that, well, I would agree to just go with you”, the outspoken mayor of southern Davao City added.
“This is a new government and we’ll want to hear from them directly what their priorities are”, he said when asked about the election, adding that Washington wanted to see continued efforts to respect the rule of law and combat corruption.
Duterte said it has become an excuse for vacation.
This raises the possibility that the Marxist guerrillas, who demand an end to US military presence in the country and free land distribution to farmers, could assume high positions in the government.
Dubbed as The Punisher, Duterte has been accused of running vigilante death squads during his more than two decades as mayor of Davao, a city of about two million people that he says he has turned into one of the nations safest.
He has said it is up to American officials to fix relations with him, after the U.S. ambassador to Manila criticized his joke that he would have wanted to rape an Australian missionary who was killed in a 1989 Philippine prison riot.
“These are the things I want to correct right at the beginning”, said Mr. Duterte, who will take office on June 30 after Congress ratifies the election results.
Duterte, who won a landslide victory in last week’s elections, had offered four cabinet posts to the insurgents and expressed willingness to free ailing guerrillas from prison to jumpstart peace negotiations that had stalled three years ago.
But this has not deterred Duterte, who is promising a hardline approach.
They say children and petty criminals were among the victims. “I have no patience, I have no middle ground, either you kill me or I will kill you idiots”.
Duterte has been a controversial character in Philippine politics.
There were about 3,200 fighters of the New People’s Army – the armed wing of the Communist Party – at the end of 2014, the Philippine Star has reported, citing military data. “I hope he would consider”, he said.
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Mr. Duterte was due to meet the Chinese, Israeli and Japanese ambassadors Monday, while continuing talks with prospective cabinet members as he assembles his executive team.
