Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella on Saturday criticized the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, New People’s Army, on Saturday as it stepped its verbal onslaught against CPP founder Jose Maria Sison.

“Mr. Sison’s remarks only highlight his apparent disconnect with their men and women on the ground who seem to have deteriorated from ideologues to plain criminals and extortionists,” Abella said in a statement.

“It is unfortunate he needs to be coaxed to return to his homeland, while his wounded comrades in the the Philippines are left dying only for our soldiers to rescue and accord medical care,” said Abella, who is in the United States for a trip.

“Mr. Sison apparently took to the soft life in Europe leaving is comrades to lend for themselves. No wonder they are only too eager now to demand unearned portions,” said Abella.

In his Facebook account, Sison did not reply to Duterte’s challenge to return to the country to join the fight for the former’s cause.

After he visited the wake of six slain policemen in an ambush by the NPA last week in Negros Oriental, Duterte called on Sison to “come home and fight here” in the Philippines.

Duterte has ordered the government negotiators to stop peace talks after the NPA attacked government forces in the countryside, including a Presidential Security Group convoy in Cotabato. DMS