MANILA – Regular briefing papers submitted to him by his defense aides during the five-month siege of Marawi by ISIS-inspired local terrorists caused him pain each time he read of soldiers dying, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte admitted while gracing an exhibit on the soldiers’ heroism.
The interactive art installation exhibit paying tribute to government troops who fought the rebellion in Marawi City opened Tuesday, November 21 at the Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
The exhibit, which shows photos of the soldiers and policemen during and after the Marawi siege, runs until December 5.
In his speech at the exhibit opening, the President recalled how he would get affected by criticism during the crisis in the Islamic City.
“Kaya if there’s anybody na medyo mabigat… sensitive ako. Kaya every time na a criticism sa Marawi which I think is not good, nagre-react talaga ako passionately also,” he said.
The President also shared that there was a time he got angry reading the briefer on the Marawi crisis, adding that he was deeply pained on knowing that some of his soldiers got killed.
“Dumating ‘yung panahon na hindi ko na binabasa, itinatapon ko na lang,” he said.
“I mean I got pissed off really reading the so many… Hindi naman tayo na lahat na nakakapatay eh, namamatayan tayo. It pains me deeply to think of their families,” he said, adding that this is one of the reasons that compelled him to visit Marawi City many times.
The President then discussed plans of building a military camp in Marawi City. “Kaya this time before anything else, before even the rebuilding is completed, I will build a military camp just in front of them and para masiguro ko that all of these things will never happen again,” he said.
“Lalagyan ko ng according to the military minds, baka a regiment would do, just right in front of them,” he added.