Duterte vows to beef up troops’ equipment to fight terrorism

President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged to provide the troops with the equipment they need to crush the enemies of the state in the country’s fight against terrorism.

“(Ibibigay ko) lahat ng kailangan ninyo na to fight the enemies of the state to be on the advantage sa equipments,” Duterte said in a speech at Camp Gen. Macario B. Peralta Jr. in Jamindan, Capiz, on Friday afternoon.

The President told the troops to be ready to fight terrorism, particularly the bandit Abu Sayyaf Group in Mindanao.

He also assured them that he would not let them fight without the equipment they need in battle.

“When we are prepared here, when I think that (things are) already in my hands, the things that I would need to fight a war correctly and accurately, we will have to go there and fight,” he said.

“But before that, kailangan ko ‘yung mga bagay-bagay na to give you an edge. I will not order you to fight na disadvantaged.”

The 71-year old Chief Executive highlighted the government’s readiness to fight terrorists to avoid “considerable loss.”

“Only when we are ready, and we shall have acquired the equipments and I will buy it for you; only when I think that we are on the advantage, theoretically nasa taas tayo, kung baga sa ano ito, nandoon na tayo sa high ground, with the weapons, with the assets, papasok tayo,” he said.

The President said the “brutalism” perpetrated by terrorists must end.

“We have to end this mindless thing of brutalism and ISIS ‘yan eh. At tsaka ‘yang ISIS wala na ‘yang partido, walang ideology. Wala na ‘yan. Basta ‘yan lang ang kanilang gusto, patay,” he said.

The President said he would use part of the $32 million given by the United States to purchase new military equipment.