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Tag: Marawi

In the name of drugs again


President Duterte is simplifying the root cause of five-month war in Marawi by attributing it to drugs.

There’s a problem in this version because it does not address the age-old and complex issue of the tension in Mindanao which security experts say is mutating into a more dangerous terrorist movement.

In his speech at the Commemorative session of Asean Law Association Governing Council Wednesday, Duterte said, “How did the Marawi siege start? If I may ask you,’Do you know?’ It was started because the police went there to serve a warrant of arrest of one of the Mautes, for drugs. When they went there to serve the warrant, they were met with a volley of fire, they had to call in the Marines.”

Duterte tells how the government misread Maute threat

Pres. Duterte’s first public appearance after five-day absence at the 4th Infantry Division in Bancasi, Butuan City. Malacañang photo.

In his re-appearance speech five days after he was not seen in public, President Duterte gave an explanation for the military’s “mis-appreciation” of intelligence report that has been blamed for the difficulty being encountered by government forces in the ongoing war against the Islamist militants in Marawi city.

It will be recalled that Solicitor General Jose Calida said that the military had received intel reports about possible Maute- Abu Sayyaf attack in Marawi five days before May 23, when the fighting started sparked by the serving of warrant of arrest to ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon. The fierce fighting was the basis of the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao by Duterte on May 23 .

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who was in Moscow with the President together with other high-ranking security officials said there was no lapse in intelligence monitoring. “It’s just appreciation of the intelligence that was lacking there,” he said.

“I will be harsh”- Duterte declares martial law in Mindanao

Click here: Know your rights under Martial Law

Photo from Mocha Uson blog
Photo from Mocha Uson blog

What makes me happy.. I’m sad, but what makes me happy that I was able to have a last minute.. Hindi last minute but it was almost an hour, a last minute meeting with President Putin and I was able to communicate all the things that I wanted to tell him. Maganda naman ang ano, positive naman ang…

Mga kababayan natin.. Do not be too scared. I’m going home, I’m cutting my visit here to be with my countrymen and I will deal with the problem once I arrive. But let me just tell everybody that I have declared martial law for Mindanao. How long, well, how.. it would take a year to do, then, we’ll do it. If it’s over within a month, I’d be happy. Pero ang martial law is martial law ah. So kayong mga kababayan ko, you have experienced martial law. It could not be any different from what the President Marcos did. I’d be.. I’d be harsh. I was asked one time during the campaign doon sa La Salle, I was asked how I would deal with terrorism, I said I will be harsh. Sinabi ko nga sa lahat eh, do not force my hand into it. I have to do it to preserve the Republic of the Philippines and the Filipino people.