MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte called off his meeting with farmers in North Cotabato this Friday to visit the soldiers who were wounded and slain in a firefight against armed communist rebels in Eastern Samar.
Duterte was scheduled to hold a dialogue with farmers in North Cotabato but Malacañang in an advisory Thursday morning announced, without elaborating, that the meeting “will be re-scheduled.”
But Duterte’s closest aide, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said the President would instead visit the soldiers of the 14th Infantry Battalion, who encountered some 50 members of the New People’s Army at Sitio Bangon, Brgy. Pinanag-an, Borongan City at around 5 p.m. on Monday.
Six soldiers were killed while 20 others were wounded in the firefight that lasted for about 30 minutes.
READ: 6 soldiers dead, 20 wounded in Eastern Samar clash
The Cotabato farmers sought an audience with Duterte due to a donation of faulty tractors, Go earlier said.