PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday took a swipe at members of the Maute group for allowing foreign fighters to enter the Philippine territory.
In a speech delivered to the 602nd Infantry Brigade at Camp Lucero in North Cotabato, Duterte deplored the presence of the Jihadist militant group in Mindanao, particularly in the Maute's stronghold in Marawi City.
"I am infuriated because a foreign ideology has been brought to Lanao [del Sur]. Moro fighters are risking their lives there. Use your head. Why do you allow other people to come to our country and destroy us with your ideology?" The President said.
The military earlier said that there are at least 50 foreign militants holed up in conflict-torn Marawi and that eight of them were killed.
But Indonesian defense minister General Ryamizard Ryacudu said at least 1,200 Islamic State combatants have been spotted in the Philippines.
Since Duterte declared martial law in the entire Mindanao on May 23, the government forces continue their military offensives in Marawi City to quell the terror acts perpetrated by the Maute group.
On Monday, the President also offered P5-million bounty each for brothers Abdullah and Omar Maute, both top leaders of the IS-linked terror group.
Duterte reiterated that he would no longer pursue peace talks with Maute fighters and stressed that his order to the state forces now is to "kill and destroy" them, as well as the foreign Islamic gunmen.
"Look what has the war resulted [in]? [It claimed many] lives. I cannot stop my soldiers now," Duterte said.
"The objective of Isis is to kill and destroy. Period. So I will destroy also and kill. Period. We will finish what you have started …let’s finish it off. There will be no peace talks. If it would take me 10 years to do it, I will do it if I’m still around. If I will do it until the end of my term, I will do it," Duterte said.
As of Sunday, June 4, the Marawi crisis claimed the lives of 120 Maute fighters and 38 government troops.
Duterte said the ongoing war between state forces and Maute members will not stop because they have “crossed the bridge already.”
"Many soldiers have been killed… Many of police have been killed. We have crossed the bridge already. If only no people have been killed,” he said. “I’m ordering you to crush the enemies because they are no ordinary [people]. When I say, crush them, you have to destroy everything, including lives. I already made a warning. It's no joking matter."
The Chief Executive assured the government forces anew that they will get his full support in the continuing clashes with the local militants.
"Anything that will happen here, whether you do it right or wrong, I will answer for that. I and I alone will assume full responsibility. Just do your work. The order is to destroy the enemy," he said. (VoxPop Philippines)
