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Surprise: Duterte skips drug talk in speech for first time in months

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Kimberly Jane Tan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/10/5/20161005-duterte-jews-rtr-4.jpg"/></figure></div><p>For the first time in several months, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday skipped any talk about the government&#x27;s ongoing drug war in his speech at the 81st anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.</p><p>Duterte, deviating from his usual style, also read a short prepared speech at beginning of his message for the Philippine military. </p><p>In an unusually calm manner, the President said government forces will continue to strive for order in conflict-ridden areas around the country.</p><p>In the end, Duterte said it was not really his style to read prepared speeches, so he went off-script shortly after.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1460265" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>&quot;I always want the inner core of my person makita ninyo,&quot; he said.</p><p>But instead of his usual spiel about the war against illegal drugs, he focused on appealing to rebel forces in the Philippines.</p><p>He declared a ceasefire for Christmas and New Year, urging communist rebels to come down from the mountains for the holidays.</p><p>&quot;I would like you to come down and be with your family on Christmas day. I guarantee you na walang aresto, walang opresyon,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Nakakatamad na mag-away ng pasko,&quot; he added.</p><p>Aside from this, Duterte also spoke about the release of a P1-billion fund for the subsidy of medicine for indigent Filipinos.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s speech ended after 17 minutes, a far cry from his usual hour-long messages, which usually include talk of how he supports police in their pursuit of drug suspects and his defense against critics of the drug war.</p><ul class="op-related-articles" title="Read">	<li><strong>READ: </strong> <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/19/16/duterte-blasts-washington-in-front-of-new-us-envoy">Duterte blasts Washington in front of new U.S. envoy</a></li></ul><p>Among those he usually mentions are the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and human rights groups.</p>

<p>For the first time in several months, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday skipped any talk about the government's ongoing drug war during one of his public speeches.</p>

For the first time in several months, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday skipped any talk about the government's ongoing drug war during one of his public speeches.

Surprise: Duterte skips drug talk in speech for first time in months

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Surprise: Duterte skips drug talk in speech for first time in months

Kimberly Jane Tan,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 21, 2016 07:09 PM PHT

|

Updated December 21, 2016 07:32 PM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

AFP

military

war on drugs

speech

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