President Duterte tried to convince New People’s Army (NPA) members to lay down their guns and surrender to the government by speaking of how wicked firearms are.
But first, Duterte admitted to having a gun collection himself. And he happens to have a gun for each finger.
"May baril ako diyan, siguro mga sampu. Puro may lisensya lahat yan, talagang pina-lisensya ko (I have guns there, maybe ten. They are all licensed, I really had them licensed)," he casually said during his weekly "Talk to the People" public briefing, a portion of which was aired Tuesday morning, Jan. 25.
"It does not serve the task--not serve the purpose of a--itong mga baril. May baril ka? (these guns. You have a gun?) For what? Ano yang baril mo, gawin mong asawa? Itabi mo sa (What are you going to do with your gun, make it your spouse? Place it beside) --- except to kill," Duterte said, addressing the communist rebels.
"Mag-sakripisyo ka ng ilang taon dyan...para pumatay lang ng tao. Mag-surrender kayo. Marami naman nag-surrender. Marami na nabigyan ng bahay, nabigyan ng trabaho. Nag-bagong buhay na (You sacrifice for years there...just to kill people. Just surrender. A lot have already surrendered. A lot have been given homes, jobs. They're living new lives)," he said, referring to the government's reintegration for NPA members.
The Chief Executive further highlighted the evil use of firearms, or at least the ones brandished by the Reds.
"Para ano kailangan mo ng baril? Para pumatay lang ng tao. Hindi mo pwedeng gawin lagare, martilyo (What would you need a gun for? It's for killing people. You can't use it as a saw or hammer)."
Duterte then shared an anecdote wherein he clarified that the guns he owned were of the "sporting" nature. He said he used to enter NPA-infested areas in the Davao region during his days as Davao City mayor.
"I could even ask you the permission, di ba, sabi ko sa inyo, kaibigan man tayo, bigyan niyo lang ako ng permiso magdala ng baril. Ang mga baril ko, hindi ito baril na pang-giyera. Sporting arms...bagong generation yan para-hunting (I asked you, were are friends, give me permission to bring guns. My guns aren't for war. Sporting arms...these are new generation hunting firearms)," he said.
"Nagha-hunting ako diyan. Pinayagan niyo ako, magkaibigan tayo (I hunted there. You allowed me to, we are friends)," he added.
"Tapusin na natin ito. Tutal sinubukan naman natin na magbarilan, wala man nangyari. Pinatay mo lang mga Pilipino (Let's finish this. Anyway, we've gone to war, nothing happened. You just killed your fellow Filipino)," Duterte said as he appealed to the rebels to turn themselves in.
Duterte said that the rebels who want to take part in the reintegration need not be afraid because government soldiers will have the "corresponding obligation to accept you and take care of you, and even your family".
"Mag-surrender na kayo bago ako mag-alis sa trabaho ko. Para makita ko kasi pinakamalapit sa dibdib ko yung--kayo. Alam mo magkaibigan kasi tayo eh. Alam ninyo yan (Surrender before I step down from my job. I want to see it because you are the closest to my heart. We are friends, you know that)," he said.
Duterte said last year that the ongoing communist insurgency is one of two problems that worry him on his way out of Malacañang.
The President will step down on June 30, 2022.