Duterte is a bloodthirsty, monstrous tyrant. During the recent RTF-ELCAC meeting in Tacloban City, he reiterated his order to his soldiers to defeat the NPA and kill any “armed rebel.” Hell-bent on his total-war, he rallies his troops to be more brazen and commit increasingly brutal rights violations in the name of “counter-insurgency.”

To achieve his goal, Duterte wants his minions in the 8th Infantry Division and PNP to be just as sick in the head as he is. He gives them the same assurance he gave the police when he said “sagot ko kayo” for his Oplan Tokhang to mean they will not be held accountable for killing drug suspects. Now, in the name of counter-insurgency, he goads and emboldens his troops to commit even more killings and abuses, to be remorseless in torturing, arresting and threatening innocents, to wantonly disrespect basic human rights enshrined in the 1987 Constitution and in international humanitarian law, to spit in the face of basic decency and morality, so that Duterte can terrorize the people into submission and ultimately tighten his rein on power. Human rights will be trampled upon in a way no other regime has ever done.

Duterte’s “shoot-to-kill” order is meant not only for the NPA but also for the unarmed civilians who are also targets of his anti-communist rampage. On one hand, the NPA has mastery of terrain and can employ the guerrilla tactics of concentration, dispersal and shifting to strike fascist enemy forces at will, actively defend themselves, and even completely evade focused and sustained attacks. On the other hand, unarmed civilians such as activists can easily be red-tagged or have evidence planted against them so they can be arrested, vilified or killed. Duterte’s four years in power has already seen to the institutionalization of “tanim-ebidensya” in police and military operations against tens of thousands of drug suspects, progressives, critics and viewed opponents.

The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas calls on the people to condemn Duterte and his “shoot-to-kill” order. They must boldly wage all forms of resistance, especially armed struggle, to fight Duterte’s state terrorism, expose the regime’s abuses and unite the broad masses to oust the fascist tyrant Duterte.

The NDF-EV also calls on the rank-and-file troops of the AFP-PNP to examine their conscience and to reject the fascist and inhumane commands of their superiors against their fellow Filipinos. They can choose to withdraw from service and be free from the mercenary and criminal tradition of the AFP-PNP.#