President Duterte is confident the government could defeat the armed communist rebels amid their dwindling forces.
The President has commended the police and military for their operations against the New People's Army rebels, saying they have become a small bunch of "ragtag bandits" without any ideology.
Duterte earlier decided against resuming peace talks with the rebels and instead directed the security forces to "destroy" the group.
"I’d like to congratulate the AFP and PNP for their drive. It’s a dwindling ragtag bandits robbing there, killing there for money or for whatever without any direction or any ideology at all," he said during the launch of a coalition of anti-crime volunteers at the police headquarters in Quezon City Friday, June 25.
"And so this communist, madali ito (this is easy). If you can help from all sectors, para itong one-nation approach. Matatalo natin ang komunista (it's a one-nation approach, we can defeat the communists)," he added.
READ: Duterte orders military to 'kill' armed NPA rebels
Duterte lashed out anew at the rebel group for earning "billions of pesos" from the extortion of large businesses as well as lowly farmers. He said the rebel leaders were living a lavish lifestyle while their members end up hungry and dead.
"People must realize that the Communist Party of the Philippines has a broad taxation and they collect taxes almost from the lowly farmer to the conglomerates, ‘yong mga malalaking negosyo (the large businesses). We estimate, the intelligence community, that they are earning --- the Politburo is earning billions of pesos and yet their soldiers down on the ground are dying sometimes without eating a meal for two days," he said.
"That’s the sad story of the Communist Party of the Philippines," he added.
READ: Communist leaders earn ‘billions’ from extortion of businesses — Duterte
Peace talks between the government and rebel group collapsed in 2017 after the President protested the atrocities committed by the rebels against government troops and civilian community. He previously ordered the military to shoot dead armed rebels, saying he was prepared to go to jail over his directive.
READ: Duterte ‘happy’ to go to jail over kill order vs rebels, says old age to prevent long prison term