(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to work on getting to the truth regarding the killing of four army personnel in Jolo, Sulu, saying that justice will be served.
In his took to the army troops in Jolo, Sulu, the President also expressed his hope that that the killing of soldiers by members of the Philippine National Police in Jolo last month will not happen again, and that this would not lead to any “animosity” between the military and the police.
“As your Commander-in-Chief and as President of the Republic of the Philippines, I assure you that I will see to it that the truth will come out be it in favor of the police or the military. Ang hinihingi ko lang ang totoong nangyari,” he said on Monday, July 13.
“So you can rest assured that justice will be done to the family at sa mga tao dito sa — ang mga tropa dito sa Jolo,” he said.
“It is my hope that this isolated incident will not spark any animosity between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP,” the President said early on in his speech.
Duterte had already directed the National Bureau of Investigation to “ferret out the truth.”
-Painful incident-
He said that he understood the deep pain that the killing had caused to the AFP. He talked about the “imponderables of life”, the things that happen which were not expected.
He said that there was “a certain hatred or anger there” or if none, then a misunderstanding that led to the shooting.
“Alam mo the imponderables of life hindi talaga natin makita nor can we project the future of what things will happen or not happen. Gusto natin na ang mangyari araw-araw ay mangyari sa kagustuhan natin,” he said.
“Iyan ang gusto ng tao. But sometimes it can turn to something more than just what we ordinarily expect. Iyong mga bagay na hindi natin akalain na mangyari ay nangyayari. We don’t have the answer for that. We know that there is a certain hatred or anger there, or if there is none, then a misunderstanding that led to the shooting.”
Duterte said that all he can do is promise that the truth will come out.
Addressing Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan who was celebrating his birthday that Monday, the President said how he also knew of his pain because of what happened. He reiterated his condolences for the unfortunate incident as he vowed to expose the truth and work for justice.
“You know Sakur alam ko na masakit rin sa iyo. Alam ko hindi ko na tataguin ang puso ko. Alam ko na right or wrong basta may isang Tausug namatay, dumudugo rin ‘yung kasing-kasing mo kasi alam ko na ayaw mo pero ‘pag may nangyari namatay, patay is patay at alam ko as a Tausug maski na papano masakit sa iyo. Alam ko ‘yan,” he said.
“Kaya ang magarantiya ko sa iyo na ang totoo lalabas at lalabas at lalabas in fairness to the Tausug, policemen and to the soldiers who died. Kaya lang wala tayong option eh. Hindi natin ‘to puwedeng taguin, hindi natin puwedeng laruan ito kasi hindi maganda ang labas.”
“We would have a more serious trouble if we play with the people’s lives, mga buhay ng sundalo. So tanggapin mo rin my condolences para sa nangyari. But ako dito since I work for the government siguro maintindihan mo rin balang- araw,” Duterte added.
(Eagle News Service)
