President Rodrigo R. Duterte has urged the military in Mindanao to strengthen the security and strides in the region against bad elements for the peace and safety of the public.
“If we cannot really agree, then we fight and we fight hard hanggang magkaubusan na. (until there is no one left). Maybe by that time, kung ubos na ang lahat, wala nang giyera. Sa pagka ngayon, hindi ko mapigil ang mga sundalo ko kasi may mission sila and the mission is to crush the insurgents. So ang hinihingi ko lang sa inyo na even as you fight (Maybe by that time, when they are all gone, there will be no war. So right now, I cannot halt my soldiers because they have a mission and the mission is to crush the insurgents. So I’m asking that even as you fight,) think about peace.”
The President issued the statement in front of the military on Sunday when he personally visited Jolo, Sulu where 15 deaths were recorded after the twin bombings on August 24.
The Chief Executive paid his respects by offering of flowers and tearfully kissing the ground. He admitted that he does not know when the chaos will end in the region. However, he assured that for every life the terrorists snuff out, there is a moment of reckoning.
“At kung ang pinatay mo inosente (And if you kill the innocent), there will always be a time that you will have to answer for the killing of an innocent human being. Maski anong klaseng relihiyon (Whatever religion).” – Report from Mela Lesmoras
