MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has urged communist rebels to reconsider their loyalty to their leader Jose Maria Sison, saying they should not suffer and die for someone they have not seen. Duterte claimed Sison, who has been on self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987, is living a comfortable life abroad while his followers suffer and die. “Why listen to Sison? Talks between the government and the rebels collapsed in 2017 after Duterte accused the communists of demanding a power-sharing deal that he said would violate the constitution. Communist negotiators have denied making such demand and have blamed the cancellation of the talks on “spoilers” from the government.

Source: Philippine Star December 30, 2018 16:05 UTC