Duterte orders withdrawal of cops in Taal’s affected areas

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. (JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he is withdrawing the members of the national police from areas affected by the Taal Volcano’s recent eruption.

“I am withdrawing my police in Taal, they have been there for so many weeks already, puno na ang lungs nila ng abo [their lungs are already full of ash],” Duterte said in a speech at the founding anniversary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“I am leaving it to the mayors and to the police assigned there to enforce the law as mandated by authorities upstairs,” he added.

Duterte added he will not stop residents from insisting on going back to their homes in order to prevent “ugly situation” from arising.

“Kung gusto talaga nila magpilit na pumunta, eh, ‘di sige,” Duterte said. “Mag-alis na kami. Kung gusto niyong tumalon diyan sa cauldron of fire and lava, go ahead. Make it short.”

(If they really insist on going back, well, go ahead. We’ll just step out of their way. If they want to jump into the cauldron of fire and lava then go ahead. Make it short.)

“Pag may pumilit na tao and the government enforcement guy bars him and he has to do it physically, alam mo ang physical contact sometimes result into an ugly situation,” he added.

(If someone insist and the government officers bars him and he has to do it physically, you know that physical contact sometimes results into an ugly situation.)

Taal Volcano’s status was recently lowered to Alert Level 3, prompting the Batangas local government to give residents from areas outside the seven-kilometer radius from the main crater to return to their homes.

Edited by JPV