(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte recognized the efforts of the men and women of the Navy and Marines in the liberation of Marawi City, and at the same time recalled the Marawi siege as a “sad incident” for which he assumed “full responsibility.”
Duterte, who declared a Mindanao-wide martial law at the start of the Marawi siege on May 23, also assumed full responsibility for what happened in Marawi.
He said he never anticipated that it would take the government four months to finish the war there.
“We had a very sad experience in the Marawi siege. And we all know and — that we have fallen short in some respects the way it was handled. I assume full responsibility. I did not anticipate or even guess that there would be so much ordnance and at the fight would took us about four months to finish,” he said.
“All of these faults, if it is indeed one, or our faults, it belongs and it falls on my shoulders as Commander-in-Chief. And I assume full responsibility to the nation of what‟s going to happen,” he added.
The President also honored the heroic efforts of the Philippine Navy and the Marines to help liberate Marawi City.
“It was only last year when we celebrated the Philippine Navy’s anniversary during the Marawi Siege. Then, we honored the heroic efforts of the men and women of the Navy and Marines in the liberation of Marawi. Today, we once again honor them as we make significant progress in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of that city,” he said in his speech during the 120th Philippine Navy Anniversary on Tuesday, May 22.
He also recognized the Navy’s accomplishments and contributions in humanitarian assistance, maritime law enforcement, counter-terrorism, and disaster relief operations.
“These noble endeavors have made our kababayans feel safer in challenging circumstances,” he said.