(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte visited war-torn Marawi on Thursday, making good on his word to check up on government troops fighting Islamist militants in the area.
Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, 1st Infantry Division spokesperson, said the President made the visit in Camp Ranao around lunchtime.
There was no media coverage of the event, as they were only informed about the President’s visit after he left.
Prior to this visit, Duterte had attempted to visit the city two times, but this was postponed because of bad weather.
The President has asked Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao to quell the rebellion in Marawi, parts of which members of the local terrorist group Maute and Abu Sayyaf overran on May 23 in a bid to establish a province for the international terrorist group Islamic State.
Congress is set to hold a special session on Saturday to tackle the matter.