Communist rebels should not get angry with local government units that declared them persona non grata since no one admires "terrorists," Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque instead called on the rebels to stop their atrocities, lay down their arms, and join the parliamentary struggle to effect the change they want. 

More than 1,500 local government units recently declared the Communist Party of the Philippians-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) as persona non grata or unwelcome persons in their areas, according to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). The latest decision of the LGUs has bee welcomed by Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año in the war against the "atheists, Maoist terrorists."

"Huwag silang magalit sa mga LGUs na nagparatang na sila ay persona non grata dahil in this civilized world, wala po talagang humahanga sa mga terorista (They should not get mad with the LGUs that declared them persona non grata because in this civilized world, no one really admires terrorists)," Roque said during a televised press briefing. 

"Kaya kayo ibaba ninyo na ang inyong armas, magtututok na lang kayo sa parliamentary struggle. nahahalal naman kayo sa kongreso, damihan ninyo ang hanay ninyo doon nang sa ganoon magkaroon ng pagbabago. Tigil na 'yang patayan lalung-lalo na kung papatayin ninyo yung kapwa nyong mahirap na Pilipino rin (So you should lay down your arms, focus on the parliamentary struggle. You've been elected in Congress so enlarge your ranks there to effect change. Stop the murder especially if you kill your poor fellow Filipinos," he said.

Roque also denied allegations that the local government units were compelled by the DILG to close its border to communist rebels.  "Walang basehan ang ganyang paratang laban sa DILG (The allegation against the DILG is baseless)," he said.

He pointed out that it was the United States State Department that first branded the communist rebel group as terrorists. "Kung ikaw ay terorista, iwe-welcome mo ba sila? (If you're a terrorist, would you welcome them?)," he asked.

Among the areas in Metro Manila that reportedly banned communist rebels are the cities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasig, Quezon, San Juan, and Valenzuela.

Año remained confident that more local government units would declare the rebels as persona non grata next year as part of the fight against communist terrorism. "We cannot allow these groups to continue killing people, the time has come to finally put an end to their wicked ways,” the DILG chief said.