Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks upon his arrival at Davao International Airport in Davao city, Philippines, after returning from a leaders' summit in Peru of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), November 23, 2016. REUTERS/Lean Daval Jr
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to Abu Sayyaf rebels on Friday to end their campaign of piracy and kidnapping and start direct talks with him, offering an olive branch towards a brutal Islamist group he previously vowed to destroy.
Only a few months ago, Duterte said there could be no peaceful solution for dealing with the Abu Sayyaf. But with 10,000 troops in the southern Philippines unable to curtail the hostage-taking and with civilians in the line of fire, he said all-out war was not the answer.
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