DESPITE the defeat of terrorists in Marawi, threats will persist and the people will depend on law enforcers to keep them safe, President Rodrigo Duterte told the military and police during the opening of the National Special Weapons and Tactics Challenge in Davao City in which 60 teams of police and military personnel competed.
“I am urging our military and police to continue their sworn duty to defend the country from all kinds of criminality and terrorism,” Duterte said.
“Let us remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our people, especially now that we are intensifying our fight against enemies of the state here in Mindanao,” President Duterte said.
“Never lose sight of the fact that notwithstanding our resounding success in the liberation of Marawi, the decreased crime incidence nationwide and the growing public trust in our institutions, threats will persist and our people will depend on you, our law enforcers, to keep them safe and secure at all times,” he added.
The President commended the security forces for their skill and bravery and asked them to work closely to successfully fulfill their task of protecting the nation.
“As we continue our work of maintaining peace and order across the nation, I direct the PNP, the AFP and other law enforcement agencies to work towards interoperability in your operations, professional training and capability development,” he said.
“A coordinated approach at law enforcement will certainly ensure the success of all your missions and minimize government and civilian casualties in all your operations,” he added.
The President said he would protect and support the military and the police for as long as they are performing their duties.
Citing continuous threats government forces are facing from their enemies, President Duterte pledged to equip all soldiers with a handgun by July for their protection.
“By July, every soldier will have a handgun,” he said.
Duterte also renewed his commitment to ending the illegal drug trade.
Meanwhile, two leftist lawmakers rejected the administration’s proposal to tap the military reserve force and graduates of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in the fight against terrorism terrorism.
ACT Teachers Party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro said President Duterte’s proposal to provide reservists with high-powered firearms.
“The statement of President Duterte is a dangerous proposal,” Tinio said. “He will be permitting armed civilians to kill suspected terrorists and continue to ignore judicial procedures,” he added.
He said the President’s idea was akin “ to a more sinister Oplan Tokhang.”
“This time with the civilians shooting and just about anyone who could be labelled a ‘terrorist,’” Tinio said.
Castro said “arming ROTC troops, army reservists and eventually civilians will only intensify his wars against the people and would only do more harm than good.”
“President Duterte has launched many wars against the people, with his war on drugs, the war in Marawi against the Moro people and the war in Mindanao,” Castro said.
“He matches societal issues with military interventions and calls those who fight for the people’s rights as terrorist. He, in effect, is terrorizing the Filipino people who struggle for their rights and just and lasting peace,” she said.