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Southeast Asia
Philippines' Duterte offers cabinet posts to communists
2016-05-18
Philippines president-in-waiting Rodrigo Duterte has extended an offer of cabinet posts to the communist party of the nation, where a decades-old conflict with leftist rebels has killed tens of thousands.
I'm sure the Philippines can defend their interests in the South China Sea without our help...
Duterte said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) might have the opportunity to fill posts in the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Foxes, chicken coops...
Duterte said, "I have kept open [these departments] because they said they are the most oppressed. Those are the only departments I can concede to them [leftist groups], provided they are qualified educationally."

Referring to the CPP's armed wing the New People's Army (NPA), he emphasized, "when I reach my oath-taking... they must realize I am the government and I am the enemy but I offer my hand in peace and we can talk."

Before the May 9 polls, Duterte had invited the CPP's exiled founder -- Jose Maria Sison, his former professor at a Manila university -- back to the Philippines. Duterte said, "Yes, he [Sison] is welcome. I am happy with the statement that he is coming home. I would very much want to talk to him about resolving the insurgency problem."

Sison, 77, currently lives in the Netherlands, having fled to Europe after negotiations with the Philippine government failed in 1987.
Posted by:ryuge

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