DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned political warlords and the New People’s Army to stay out of the May 2022 elections saying he would not think twice about using the police and military to ensure orderly polls.
Duterte said he wants an orderly and honest elections “I will not allow fraud, tapos yung mga tigas tigas. May mga ano diyan lalo na yung matagal na sa politika. Political warlords na may mga armas (those who are hard headed, those who have been in politics, the political warlords with arms) .
The military and the intelligence community have long claimed that the rebels are used to asking permit to campaign fees from all politicians who want to campaign in the areas where they have influence.
But politicians tend to submit and pay the rebel group in an effort to secure their votes in areas controlled by the rebels.
“Pati kayong mga NPA huwag kayo sumali…Huwag kayo makialam dito sa elections” (You rebels do not join, do not meddle in politics,)” Duterte emphasized.
He said he wanted to ensure an honest election before he bow out from office.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier backed Duterte’s call to ensure violence-free elections.-Newsline
