Exiled Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison said on Wednesday President Rodrigo Duterte was wrong in believing he ended the rule of the oligarchs in the country as he himself is one of them.

“Duterte either has gone crazy or pretends not to know the meaning of the term, oligarchy. It means the rule of the few. He is the chief political representative of the oligarchy of big compradors, landlords and bureaucrat capitalists in the Philippines,” Sison said in a statement.

“Duterte’s closure of ABS-CBN does not mean the end of oligarchy, but the end of a broadcast network that allows criticism of the crimes of his regime,” Sison said.

“It is mainly and essentially an attack on the freedom of the press and advancement of his fascist agenda and his own cabal of oligarchs who are the worst oppressors and exploiters of the people,” he added.

Sison called Duterte as the “autocrat and tyrant among his fellow oligarchs.”

“Most of the oligarchs, especially the worst of them, are allied with him,” he said.

Sison warned that during the martial years under President Ferdinand E. Marcos “used state terrorism” to accumulate power and wealth.

“Duterte pretends not to know that he emulates Marcos by abusing his political power to enrich himself and his fellow oligarchs who collaborate with him in oppressing and exploiting the people,” Sison said.

Sison’s comments were made after Duterte, in a speech aired Tuesday, stated he dismantled  the country’s oligarchy without declaring martial law.

Duterte’s remarks came a few days after the legislative franchises committee of the House of Representatives voted against the grant of franchise to ABS-CBN Broadcasting network forcing the company to close down operations.

However, Presidential spokesperson  Harry Roque clarified  Duterte  referred to tycoon Lucio Tan, the Ayalas and Manuel V. Pangilinan who earned Duterte’s ire in the past due to some issues./Stacy Ang