(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said that ISIS leader Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi himself had ordered the terrorist attacks in Marawi City and the rest of the country, which is why he said there was a need to declare martial law to destroy the ISIS-inspired terrorist activities in Marawi.
In a speech when he visited the wounded in action soldiers and police officers at Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday, June 11, President Duterte said that he had long been advised by the military about the terrorist build-up in Mindanao.
“We had known all along the build-up here in Marawi. That is why if you were tracking me, my statements in public, sabi ko ‘do not force my hand to it.’ Because there were already terroristic acts, also victims were the innocent men, women and children,” he said.
“Ang Pilipinas kasi medyo complacent. Pero sila sa military and police wina-warning ako na it has become critical in Mindanao,” he said.
“Marami na kaming patay, hindi ko akalain na ganun kalala. Kasi lumalabas na si Baghdadi mismo the leader of the ISIS has specifically ordered terroristic activities in the Philippines,” Duterte said.
58 gov’t troopers killed in Marawi City
Duterte said that the 58 government troopers killed in Marawi City was a very serious matter, as he hit critics who are questioning his martial law declaration in Mindanao.
“It is not good for a president to declare martial law. I am not proud of it. I am not happy with it. but I have to call the soldiers in because they were already occupying a definite territory,” the President explained.
“Governance has really collapsed in Marawi. They are already flying the ISIS flag,” he said.
The president explained that the problem was the spill-over of these terrorists.
“Ang problem nito yung spillover. That is why we have to declare martial law in Mindanao because they can run everywhere and anywhere,” he said.
Islamist terrorist now on the run
Duterte explained how Mindanao is not separated by waters, and the Islamist terrorists who are now on the run “can always eek refuge” outside Marawi.
Mindanao, is largely Moro land, explained the President.
“Apparently dito karamihan wala namang Kristiyano. Karamihan all Moros in Mindanao,” he said.
“Even in hot pursuit, they can run towards Lanao del norte, or going down to Basilan. Kaya bakit mo i-martial law ang Marawi lang?” he said.
“Kagaya ngayon na nagtatatkbuhan na. You have to pursue them…and if they are cornered they might just do terroristic things, bomba dito, bomba doon,” the President said.
He hit those questioning the wisdom of his decision to declare martial law in the whole island of Mindanao, calling them stupid.
He said he had to “grapple between the naive or a pretended naivete.”
“This is Moro land, ang Mindanao. It is not just a land of opportunities for all — Christians and everybody. So ang sympathy talaga nyan magbakbakan, pag nagtakbo yan in all directions. That is why you have to declare the whole of Mindanao (under martial law),” he said.
