[PODCAST] Is Duterte responsible for 'Bloody Sunday'?

President Rodrigo Duterte is stone-cold silent about the police and military raids that led to the deaths of 9 activists in Calabarzon.

Yet it’s his publicly spoken words that link him to the series of deadly operations that culminated on March 7, now known as the “Bloody Sunday” operations.

In Episode 18 of Seat of Power, Rappler’s podcast about the Philippine presidency, reporter Pia Ranada goes back to Duterte’s orders against communists and activists.

Way back in 2017, Duterte had already outlined how he would rid the country of all Leftist influence. Saying the death of an infant in a communist rebel ambush on soldiers was the last straw, he turned his back on peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and vowed to declare them as terrorists.

He then threatened to arrest, not just armed rebels, but legally-recognized organizations he claims are just communist “fronts.”

If there’s one thing certain about Duterte, it’s that he’ll make good on violent threats.

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