“I will be there to protect you,” the President tells the troops
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday reiterated the creation of a P50-billion education fund for the children of soldiers, as he emphasized he was behind his men who were fighting the good fight.
In a speech before the 1st Mechanized Brigade in Camp Leonon in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, Duterte said he already found P20 billion, and would only add P30 billion “before the end of his term” for the fund.
The President made the announcement after he ordered one soldier to go home upon learning he had four children who could be left behind if something happened, and after he assured the troops that the “processing of the documentary requirements” of 18 soldiers who were wounded in past operations in the past two years and that of three soldiers from the brigade who were killed in recent operations in Marawi was already underway.
After the announcement, Duterte also told the soldiers they could get his business card and call him “for anything.”
“My salute, lalo na yung namatay. I will be there to protect you,” he said.
“As we retake the beautiful city of Marawi from the clutches of the enemy, I call upon our men to remain steadfast to protect our people,” he added.
No talks with Maute
President Duterte announced he was rejecting talks with the Maute group, which overran the city after authorities launched offensives against Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf leader, several days ago.
Duterte said too many of his soldiers and policemen had died already.
He said he would only talk to the Moro National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the New People’s Army, this last one if they “(gave) me a document signed by the Norwegian government.”
The President did not mention the Abu Sayyaf, but said that the Islamic State was “regularly” sending “a bit of money” to a former high-ranking police official, Cristina Nobleza, who was recently arrested for her ties to the kidnap-for-ransom group.
He said the rest of the money used to fund terrorist activities and rebellion came from illegal drug activities.
“I’ll be behind you in this fight to restore order and maintain peace in Mindanao,” he said.
“”I and I alone. Ako lang ang managot nito lahat. Hindi kayo…Work hard. Do not die. Do not be shot at. Mabuhay ka,” he said, as he gave the assurance they would win the war.
