(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte visited the wounded-in-action (WIA) soldiers and wounded-in-police operation (WIPO) policemen confined at the Adventist Medical Center in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, as well as condoled with the families of the soldiers and policemen killed in action during clashes with Maute terrorists in Marawi City.
This was moments after he gave a speech on Friday (May 26) at the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade to boost the morale of government forces fighting the Islamist-State-linked terrorist group in Iligan City, a mere 30 kilometers from the center of the ongoing firefight in Marawi City.
Duterte seemed to be unmindful of the danger as he insisted to go straight to the wake of the slain government troopers at the St, Peter’s Funeral Home in Iligan City, where he talked to the families of the hero soldiers and cops, giving them financial assistance and assuring them that their children’s education would be well-taken cared of.
At one point, he instructed his men to enlist the families with the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program (4Ps).
The 72-year old Philippine leader made a salute at each of the caskets of the slain soldiers and policemen as he laid a medal on the casket’s glass panel.
He looked very sad, almost teary-eyed as he looked at the faces of each of the lifeless soldiers and policemen, and talked to an army official who was there to answer his questions.
He also tried to console the widows and the children of the men who were killed fighting the Maute terrorists, as well as of one civilian who was killed when the militants attacked Marawi City.
At the Adventist Medical Center, also in Iligan City, he he visited the wounded soldiers and policemen and personally pinned their medals of heroism, the “Wounded Personnel Medal” on their hospital garb, as he asken them about their condition.
“Ako ang dapat mag-salute sa inyo,” he told the wounded soldier and cops who were trying to give him a firm salute despite their wounds.
He also gave them financial assistance and offered a Glock 30.45 semi-automatic pistol as their own sidearm weapon.
He told them that if there would be any problem, to just send him word at Malacanang.
The wounded soldiers in the in-patient department include Sgt. Edgardo G. Diaz, Jr., Sgt. Richard Llagas, Sgt. Randy Zamora, Cpl. Rico Paragoya, Cpl. Joel Albueza, Cpl. Jay Lanes, Cpl. Joselito Años, Cpl. Anthony Gutlay, Cpl. Reynante Guipitacio, Cpl. Gerry Elola, Cpl. Emmer Anno, PFC Aserdan Sebilo, PFC Mc Roger Semeria, PFC Noven Trojillo, PFC Anthony Ancheta, Pvt. Keempee Payom and injured police officers PO3 Jeffrey Mayos, and PO2 Dale Tabayan.
The other personnel in the outpatient department were Ssg. Frankie Mangulad, Sgt. Edwin Apolinar, Cpl. Zenan Ralf Gellado, Cpl. Jovelou Caka, Cpl. Jonald Olivar, PFC Warren Silla, PFC Jun Serbio Cajandab III, PFC Johnny Ledesma, Pvt. Hernan Parido and SAF trooper Samoden Maguindanao.
Duterte, earlier told troops of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade who are deployed in the ongoing firefight between the government forces and the Maute terror group, that he would take care of all the needs of his men.
“I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel to look for money to see you through,” he said at the army’s multi-purpose hall of 2MIB, in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte on Friday.
He said he has even given his presidential plane for the use of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (PNP) so they can use them for whatever purpose that they see fit.
He can ride a commercial plane, he said, as what he had been doing since he started his visits around the country.
He told the troops that this is the time for victory, even as he lamented that he cannot fight along with his soldiers because of his old age and “arthritis.”
He assured his men that they are going to be victorious to protect the people and the country from the threat of Islamist terrorists.
“Panahaon sa panalo ito e. We will overcome and we will win,” Duterte said. (Eagle News Service)
