“Tell them I don’t want war. Tell them to come down here. Let them know that this is my policy, I’m now laying down the policy. I will guarantee it, but I don’t know about the next president,” Duterte said in his speech during the inauguration of the new Leyte Provincial Capitol and distribution of land certificates in Palo, Leyte on March 17.
The President said he has been calling for this for at least three years and if they surrender he will still accept them.
"But if they take their time and wait to decide, then the problem there is I’m about to step down from the Presidency,” he said.
He said if the remaining members of New People’s Army will get back to the folds of government they will experience all the benefits offered to them.
" I’ll distribute lands. We have to end this stupid war," he said.
Duterte also led the partial turnover of completed housing units in Peace and Prosperity Village in San Isidro, Leyte on the same day.
He also spearheaded the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) to representatives of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).
During the inauguration, President Duterte unveiled the project marker of the new government structure together with Leyte Governor and Leyte Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) Chairperson Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.
Following his event in Palo, President Duterte also inaugurated the Tacloban City Bypass Road and unveiled the project marker in a ceremony in Barangay Caibaan, Tacloban City.
The 6.4-kilometer Tacloban City Bypass Road starts at Daang Maharlika in Barangay Nula-tula and ends along the same road in Barangay Caibaan.
The newly completed project is expected to ease traffic congestion in the area, improve road network accessibility, increase development potentials, and reduce travel time from 1.5 hours to just 30 minutes.
At least 1,000 motorists per day are seen to benefit from the new infrastructure project.
Photo: Presidential Communications