Rody urges Sayyaf, armed groups: Take Christmas break

President Duterte has urged the Abu Sayyaf and other armed groups to take a break from fighting during the holiday season.

Duterte even said he was ready to treat members of the bandit group Abu Sayyaf to a dinner if they would pass by his hometown, Davao City.

“You can have a peaceful Christmas. I hope you, Abu Sayyaf, take a vacation. If you happen to pass by Davao, let me know I’ll treat you to a dinner. That’s true. Just call my daughter-in-law, my daughterinlaw is from Jolo, Lovely Sankola,” he told reporters in Zamboanga City on Saturday when asked to deliver a Christmas message.

“Maybe we can resume fighting some other day,” Duterte said.

Duterte also extended his holiday greetings to communist rebels and to Muslims.

“I’d like to greet everybody, the Filipino people, the law abiding (people) and of course if they find it in their hearts, this is not something for the Moros, this kind of events is closest to the hearts of Christians,” the President said.

“I’d like to greet everybody, the communists, the Abu Sayyaf, on behalf of the Filipinos, Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year for all.”

When asked for his holiday message for criminals, Duterte said: “I will give you one plate of shabu and ask you to eat it.”

“I am angry with criminals, not with revolutionaries. They are driven by, you know, principles.”

Duterte, however, vowed to continue the campaign against the Maute gang, whom he described as a “very dangerous group.”

“They are a very dangerous group because they… well, allegedly, swore allegiance to the ISIS (Islamic State). That we have to be very careful,” the President said during the birthday celebration of Sen. Manny Pacquiao in General Santos Saturday night.