Duterte on Joma ending talks with GPH: Fine! What’s 30 more years of war?

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said the decision of the communist rebels to stop discussing peace with his government would not change anything in the battlefield.

He said government troops and communist rebels had been fighting for 50 years during which thousands had been killed. 

"If they are not willing to talk to me, that's fine. Wala akong problema so we continue with the war. Anyway, we have been there for 50 years, ano ba naman dagdagan natin ng 30 years?" Duterte told reporters in Panglao, Bohol.

National Democratic Front of the Philippines chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison said the communist movement would be better off working for Duterte's ouster and prepare for peace talks with the next administration.

Sison also said the movement to remove Duterte from power was growing and had become strong enough to eventually oust the President.

Duterte belittled Sison's ouster threat and suggested to just watch the alleged sex video of staunch critic, Senator Leila De Lima. 

"Sinong forces magsali sa kanya? Sige daw? Si De Lima? Nako Ginoo ko [Diyos ko], manood na lang kayo ng x-rated niya. Malingaw pa mo [matutuwa pa kayo]," Duterte said.

Duterte saod that his job was to "seek" and "find the peace for my country."

He has invited Sison, who has been living in self-imposed exile in The Netherlands, to return to the Philippines so they can directly negotiate peace and oversee the talks during the 60-day period set by the chief executive himself.

Duterte has repeatedly assured Sison that he would be safe should he return to the Philippines and that he would be free to leave “unhampered and unfettered” even if the negotiations fell through.

Sison, however, opposed the holding of formal talks in the Philippines, warning this will spell doom for the negotiations.

"Gusto mo mag usap, pumunta ka dito, ayaw mo di huwag. Bakit ako pupunta doon sa ibang lugar na gusto mo agawin 'tong gobyerno ko which I'm heading now as president," Duterte said of Sison.

"Why does not he take the chance of coming over? Baka ibigay ko pa ang gobyerno sa kanya on a silver platter," he added. —NB, GMA News