President Duterte is optimistic about the looming end of the local communist rebel group as the military continued to dismantle guerrilla fronts in the country.
The President has commended the military for "a job well done" and remained hopeful that the rebel group would be fully dismantled before he steps down from office.
Duterte, who will end his six-year term next year, earlier ordered the military to finish off the armed communist rebels after peace talks broke down due to their atrocities against the people.
"I'd like to thank again the Armed Forces of the Philippines for continuing the dismantling of so many guerrilla fronts throughout the country," the President said during a televised address Monday, July 2.
"I'd like to say that it is a job well done and if this continues, the CCP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front) is in the throes of death. We might be able to hopefully dismantle all by the time I get out of this office," he added.
READ: Communist rebels reduced to 'dwindling ragtag bandits' — Duterte
Last month, the President trumpeted the dwindling NPA forces, saying they have been reduced to " the rebel group has "ragtag bandits" engaged in killing, extortion, among others, "without any direction or any ideology." He lauded the government troops for their continued operations to neutralize these rebels.
Peace negotiations between the government and rebel group were terminated in 2017 after the President protested the atrocities committed by the rebels against government troops and civilian community. He has ordered the military to shoot dead armed rebels, saying he was prepared to go to jail over his directive.
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