Duterte asks for soldiers’ sacrifice in fight vs terrorism, drugs

President Rodrigo R. Duterte presides over the command conference at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters in Zamboanga City on July 21. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS DIVISION

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday asked soldiers to do their sacrifice amid the government’s fight against terrorism and illegal drugs as he vowed to provide financial assistance to them.

“Maybe I take pride in winning the presidency but I’m fighting a war here. Drugs sa Maynila and other places, dito sa Mindanao, it’s terrorism. It will need your sacrifice and mine too,” Duterte told members of the military in his speech in Zamboanga City.

He vowed to provide financial assistance to soldiers so that they would not engage in illegal activities.

“I’ll look for money. Kayo, pag nagkaproblema, alam niyo na yung imponderables of life ‘yung di mo nakita, asawa, kapatid may cancer, huwag na kayo pumunta ng malayo, just go to your commanding officer, he will call me and I look for ways for it,” he said.

The President also promised to upgrade the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center in Quezon City to provide the “best medical treatment” to state forces.

He said he was willing to spend money to improve the hospital, also known as the V. Luna Hospital.

“I will rebuild the V. Luna. I will complete it. I will add another building maybe, a new one, and you’ll have the best medical treatment,” he said. “I’ll spend money and we will improve the hospital kung ano ang immediate and urgent need to be done there.”

The Chief Executive also said he would convert the presidential yacht BRP Ang Pangulo into a floating hospital.

“I will either convert it into a hospital. Tingnan ko lang kung how much I would spend. Gagawin ko ‘yang hospital, lagay ko sa wherever the fighting is,” he said.

He earlier said he wanted to sell the yacht, named BRP Pag-asa during President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term, but he was told that nobody would take it because it was already aging.

“Sana nga noon ipagbili ko yung Pag-asa to rebuild yung V. Luna pero sabi nila no takers ‘yan kasi luma na, mahina,” he said.

“Lalagyan ko ng mga operating room, ‘yan gagawin ko. Eh walang silbi ‘yang barko na ‘yan, so pakinabangan natin,” he added.