MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte issued Sunday an “ultimatum” for communist rebels to stop landmine attacks or else he would shelve peace negotiations.

The President spoke at the Davao City wake of four Army troopers who were killed in an ambush by the New People’s Army on Friday. Bombs used in the attack disfigured the soldiers, according to government television.

“Either you stop it or we stop talking. Either you stop it now or I am ordering the government panel to come home,” he said in a nationally televised speech, while standing in front of funeral wreaths.

“I am not pleading this time. That’s an ultimatum. I hear another explosion killing people, not only soldiers, killing people, no talks, pasensiya na [I’m sorry],” he said.

The President said the rebels couldn't hold the military accountable for alleged violation of the Geneva Convention on war crimes if they continued to use landmines.

Duterte revoked a week-long unilateral ceasefire with the NPA last week after the insurgents failed to reciprocate within his 24-hour deadline that ended on July 30.