Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, giving a pep talk to his troops in the country’s restive south, exhorted the soldiers to go all out in fighting Islamic militants, but he said he’s willing to sit down with his enemies and talk peace.
“If they want to talk, I will be most thankful to Allah that we talk about peace,” Duterte said Friday in a visit to Iligan City in the country’s Mindanao region.
“If they insist on fighting, we can’t do anything. Go for it and you have my full support.”
Fighting flared this week
Fighting between government forces and the Maute group, an Islamist militant organization based in Mindanao, began Tuesday afternoon in Marawi, a city of about 200,000 people. The clashes between Filipino government troops and the Islamist militants have been deadly. A spokesman confirmed that the fighters had taken over several government buildings in the city, and had torched others, including a church, a school and the city jail.
The violence prompted Duterte to cut short a visit to Moscow, during which one of his top priorities was to acquire Russian-made precision armaments to use against the militants.
Duterte declared martial law, which covers both the city of Marawi and the wider island of Mindanao, of which Marawi is a part.
Mindanao is home to a sizable Muslim population, in contrast to the remainder of the country, which is overwhelmingly Catholic.
The media wing of ISIS, Amaq Agency, put out a statement announcing that “fighters of the Islamic State launch a wide-scale offensive on positions of Philippine troops in the city of Marawi.”
ISIS is here, Duterte said
In his speech to the troops, Duterte said said ISIS “is here already” and flying its flags. And he urged the soldiers to take tough measures, such as arresting anyone or searching any house.
“The consequences of martial law and the ramifications of martial law, I and I alone would be responsible,” he said.
“Just do your jobs,” he added. “I’ll take care of everything else.”
He said he is tapping resources, “scraping the bottom of the barrel to look for money to see you through.” He said governmental planes are at their disposal for the wounded to be transported and the best medical equipment is available.
“There is no reason for us to lose here. We will win this,” he said.
He said to the troops: “We will win, right?
“Yes sir,” they said.
Duterte replied, “Just take care.”
Martial law
Martial law will be in effect on the Muslim-majority southern Philippines island for 60 days “to suppress lawless violence and rebellion and for public safety,” said Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, according to the Philippine News Agency.
Duterte said martial law in the southern Philippines could last a year. and remarked that the declaration was needed to combat the rise of ISIS.
“If I think that the ISIS has already taken foothold also in Luzon and terrorism is not really far behind, I might declare martial law throughout the country to protect the people,” said the President, at a news conference in Manila, Wednesday.
Foreign fighters
Philippines Solicitor General Jose Calida told reporters on Friday that the declaration of martial law shouldn’t cause alarm for law-abiding citizens. He said it is the President’s duty to crush the rebellion.
But he warned that the Maute group is dangerous and that Mindanao is being invaded by foreign fighters. He said jihadists from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore are fighting in Marawi. He said they are claiming Mindanao as part of the caliphate.
“What’s happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens. It has transmogrified into invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of the ISIS to go to the Philippines if they find difficulty in going to Iraq or Syria… They want to create Mindanao as part of the caliphate,” he said.
