Blames “soft policy toward rebels,” the “taking for granted of the arms game”
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday denied a failure of intelligence on the part of government paved the way for the situation in Marawi now.
“It was not a question of failure on the part of government. We have adopted a very soft policy toward rebels,” Duterte said in his first public appearance since he took a rest for several days since Monday.
The President, who was visiting soldiers in Butuan, added “ang laro ng armas diyan, we took it for granted.”
Because of these two, he said whenever an armed man would say he was a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or the Moro National Liberation Front, with whom the government has ongoing peace negotiations, Duterte said they would be dealt with lightly.
“(Iniisip natin) mga pulitiko bang nagaaway, nagrirido ba sila, o private army ba ito ng politicians,” he added.
He said it turned out the Maute group was “bringing in weapons surreptitiously.”
“Tapusin na natin ito,” Duterte said, as he reiterated the government troops had his full backing.
He said he would no longer buy “second-rate air assets,” and would purchase guns that are “of war-grade materials.”
He also noted his presidential plane could be used to ferry the wounded in the ongoing fight in Marawi.
He added all hospitals for soldiers had the necessary equipment, including for MRIs, and that the P50-billion fund for the education of the children of soldiers would be in place before he steps down as president.
“Small business gusto ko sumali lahat ng asawa ng sundalo diyan. Bigyan ka ng pera pero kailangan mong magseminar (on how to go about it),” he added.
“I love you all. Nasasaktan ako pag may naiiwan…Hindi ako bolador. Bastos ang bunganga ko but when I say that, I say all that with sincerity,” he added.
