Says President Duterte’s pronouncement was not meant to be taken at face value
(Eagle News) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday sought to allay fears they would bomb lumad schools teaching subversion, saying President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement about it was not meant to be acted on in the first place.
“Kinakailangang maintindihan ninyo ang pananalita (niya). Binanggit niya yun pero di naman talaga niya gagawin na bombahin (iyon). (He) was strongly communicating a strong position on behalf of government to warn illegal..centers who are not complying with the rules,” AFP spokesperson Restituto Padilla said, referring to the schools which the Department of Education said were built without permission from them.
In his second State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said the schools were being used to teach children how to fight the government.
Asked how many they were, Padilla said they did not have a figure yet.
“That is how we appreciate his message…Pamamaraan lang iyan, estilo ng pagcommunicate,” Padilla said, noting that the President was “among the most compassionate” people.
“Matigas dating niya, matapang, pero pag pinagusapan ang kabataan, napakalambot ng puso ng mahal na Pangulo,” he added.
Military operations confined to two barangays in Marawi
Asked about an update on Marawi, which was attacked by Islamic State-inspired militants on May 23, Padilla said the military believes around 60 terrorists are still holed up in the war-torn city, but that their “strongest force” was “confined” in a square kilometer of territory.
“Operations are confined to two barangays, two and a half barangays to be exact..Naniniwala kami na liderato nila ay nariyan pa kaya siguro maigting nilang binabantayan ang lugar na iyan,” he said, without disclosing the place for operational reasons.
A Powerpoint slide shown to reporters said that at present, 471 terrorists have been killed by government security forces.
Forty five civilians have been killed by the terrorists.
Government security forces have rescued 1723 civilians, cleared 26 buildings, and recovered 576 firearms at present.
“Kung kakayanin nating matapos ito mamaya o bukas, bakit hindi? Sisikapin natin,” he said.