Duterte meets with military after cops kill 4 soldiers

ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte flew here and spoke with military commanders and infantrymen in an effort to defuse a brewing tension between policemen and soldiers following the killing of 4 army intelligence officers in Sulu province.

President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the troops during his visit to the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City on July 3, 2020.  (Robinson Niñal Jr.)

Duterte, who looked pale and haggard, arrived Friday night at the Edwin Andrews Air Base, and appealed to the military to stay calm as he ordered an investigation into the June 29 killings.

The soldiers, all clad in civilian clothes, were driving a car on a covert mission to capture 2 suicide bombers, when policemen intercepted them in Jolo town and ordered the agents to come with them to the police headquarters so they can verify their identities.

But policemen eventually shot the soldiers after they allegedly tried to flee, an allegation strongly denied by the military. 

UNTV also aired an exclusive report, quoting the regional police chief, Brigadier General Manuel Abu, said the soldiers' car sped off and policemen chased them in downtown Jolo. Here is the link to the video clip of the UNTV report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okEV_PL_SMM&feature=youtu.be

Duterte promised for an impartial investigation, assuring justice forthe slain soldiers. “Pumunta ako dito hihingi ako ng tulong ninyo. I am pleading. Nakikiusap ako. Nihangyo ko ninyo na tabangan ko ninyo pagpakalma to keep the waters in the meantime calm and we wait for the result of the investigation. I am giving you my word of honor that the investigation will proceed to find out the truth unfettered, unbridled by anybody except ‘yung sa trabaho. Walang makialam at ‘yung totoo lang. Iyon ang maasahan ninyo. At kung sino man ang may kasalanan, then he has to pay for it.”

“What I’m saying is we’re trying to figure out how we can in the meantime do something to give you the assurance that justice will be done. So I’m giving it to you, I said, as a word of honor of a President na I will find out the truth from the investigators and I hope that it would satisfy all,” he told the military.

Duterte said he was saddened by the incident and started reminding soldiers all the benefits and increase in salaries he gave them and ensured the welfare of the police and the military has always been his top priority since becoming president in 2016. 

The video of Duterte's talk with troops was also released by the government and can be accessed on this link: https://www.facebook.com/PTVph/videos/2559886347585762/?t=5. (Zamboanga Post)

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