“We will live in peace and guarantee peace for the next generation,” he says
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday promised the people in Marawi their city would be “prosperous” again, saying he would do everything within his power to enable its rehabilitation and reconstruction.
“One thing I will promise you, my brother Moro, I will see to it that Marawi will rise as a prosperous city again. Maghanap ako ng pera. (Sabi ko kay Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez), I need a big amount because I will rebuild Marawi. Kailangan ko talaga itayo ang Marawi pag hindi I will remain forever na kontrabida,” Duterte said in a speech marking the Muslim celebration of Eid’l Fitr in Malacanang.
His pronouncement drew applause from the crowd.
According to Duterte, the government had set aside P20 billion for the repair and rehabilitation, but that more would be added “if necessary.”
He said he would prioritize his “poorest brothers and sisters.”
“We have laid out concrete plans for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of your lives in communities…Dahan dahan lang. We will (make) Marawi what it was before, or even better this time,” he said, expressing hope that next time around, the community and the Maranao would be “take(n) care of.”
“Nasasaktan ako“
In front of a mostly Muslim crowd, the President emphasized that he was merely “forced” into declaring martial law in Mindanao, and into ordering the offensives there.
He said like his “Moro brothers and sisters,” he was also “hurting” with what was happening.
“Alam kong naghihinakit kayo…(My heart is also) bleeding like (yours)…Nasasaktan ako. May mga pinsan akong nandun sa Maute, baka akala ninyo,” he said.
He noted that he does not even want to talk about the situation there anymore, nor watch television reports from Marawi.
He said it was “not easy to see your fellowmen suffering and dying.”
“I’m sad…wala silang kasalanan,” he said.
According to the President, his only intent was to flush out the terrorists with a “fractured ideology” who only want to “kill and destroy.”
Duterte was referring to the ideology of the international terrorist group Islamic State, to whom the local terrorists in Marawi have pledged allegiance.
“How can we improve all our lives…kung may papasok na ganung ideolohiya na walang ginagawa kundi pumatay at magbehead?” he said, also expressing his anger at those who allowed the ideology in.
“We will live in peace”
Duterte also did not mince words at Isnilon Hapilon, the leader of the kidnap-for-ransom group Abu Sayyaf who claims to be the emir of IS in Southeast Asia.
“To assume the title of the emir, who are you to do that? Ako nga na presidente, (hindi ko ginagawa yun)..Paemir emir ka pa, taran***o ka ba?..,” Duterte asked.
Duterte asserted he would “finish” the war.
“Ang problema nito, ano ang iiwan natin? What will we leave to our children? We only have a limited time to correct this aberration,” he added.
“We will live in peace and guarantee peace for the next generation. Di ninyo kalaban ang government. There will be no abuses,” he assured.