DAVAO CITY (August 24)— President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday promised to send women rebel returnees to China and Hongkong, to see for themselves how former communist countries changed and transformed their economies which benefited the people.
In his speech during the 12th founding anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) in Camp Panacan this city, Duterte urged the returnees to support the government and encourage their comrades who are still in the hinterlands, to come down and join the mainstream society, instead of fighting it out with the government forces.
Duterte said the communist movement cannot provide them good life and they will end up begging for food from the poor masses.
In urging the women returnees to visit China, Dutetre ordered his Special Assistant Secretary Christopher Lawrence Go to process their passports and prepare the necessary requirements for the trip abroad.
“Ipadala ta mo sa China ug sa Hongkong, kung wala mo’y kaso (I will send you to China and Hongkong, we you are not facing charges), ” he told the women returnees.
Duterte instructed Go to help them secure passports.
The President is hoping that the visit to China will enlighten the former members of the rebel movement how the former communist countries hasve transformed after rejecting communist dogma.
Addressing himself to the former rebels in attendance, Duterte said in vernacular “Don’t disturb the people by asking money and food from them, do not join the KMU (Kilusang Mayo Uno), they will organize and prod you to strike and when the company closes, the leaders just leave and you will be left alone.”
A rebel returnee who requested anonymity told NewsLine “Lipay mi oy, maka-abroad mi sa China, gusto mi makakita kung tinoud ba jud nga ni-asenso sila kay wa na sila nagpasakop sa kumunismo (We are happy, we can travel abroad to China, we want to see if it is true that they develop when they rejected communism).-ezc/NewsLine.ph
