(Eagle News) — “This is a time for victory…Talagang panalo tayo dito.”
This was the assurance President Rodrigo Duterte gave government troops in Iligan, which he visited on Friday amid the ongoing clashes with the Maute terrorist group in neighboring Marawi.
“This is a time for victory. We will not lose it. How can we lose it? We have everything,” he said.
He said he has bought “all the equipment” the troops needed.
All the government planes, he said, were also at their disposal.
“Gusto niyo kargahan ng tao, for wounded to be transported, (use it),” he said.
President Duterte said that even his presidential plane could be used by the government troops.
“I don’t use my presidential plane. Binigay ko na iyan sa Armed Forces at (Philippine National Police) for your use. If there’s any emergency…, gamitin ninyo, inyo na yan,” he said, noting that he would just fly on commercial planes.
He said the troops had a hospital they could go to if they were wounded.
“Masugatan ka, madaplisan paa mo…I bought all the equipment, built you a new building..You have the best medical equipment available. Binili ko na,” he said.
At one point, the President even said he would join the troops in the battlefield against the “formidable enemy” if not for his old age.
This after he said that “you can say that the ISIS is here.”
“Kung bata bata akong presidente, sasali ako….I’m a leader, I’m supposed to show the way,” he said.
He said if the troops called him, he would immediately go to them.
“Wag kayo magaalala. If you go down, I go down. But for this martial law and the consequences of martial law, and ramifications of martial law, I and I alone will be responsible…(Pero) walang rason na matalo tayo dito. Talagang panalo tayo..and we will overcome and we will win, right?” Duterte added, to which the troops replied, “Yes, sir!”
Thirteen government troopers have been killed in the ongoing clashes with the Maute group in Marawi since Tuesday.
More than 30 terrorists have been killed so far, the military said.