President Rodrigo Duterte shakes the hand of Pfc. John Joseph Diaz of the 41st Infantry Battalion. Duterte pinned the Wounded Personnel Medal to Diaz after his unit clashed with the Abu Sayyaf in Talipao, Sulu. AFP WESMINCOM PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte has shut the door on talking with the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and ordered punitive military actions against the extremist group.
“Dito [terrorism] walang atrasan ‘to, pati sa droga. Masisira ang bayan natin dito. Wala tayong makukuha sa kanila [Abu Sayyaf] na ano,” Duterte said in a speech before troops of the 41st Infantry Battalion in Jolo, Sulu.
(No turning back on terrorism and drugs. These ruin our country. We won’t get anything out of the Abu Sayyaf.)
“They would not honor kahit anong klaseng usapan. Gusto lang nila patay, patay, patay, patay. ‘Yun lang ang alam nila. Eh ‘di ubusin natin sila eh.”
(They would not honor any talks. All they want is kill, kill, kill, kill. That’s all they know. Let’s finish them.)
The President was in Jolo on Thursday to visit soldiers wounded in recent clashes with the Abu Sayyaf. Jolo is known to be a stronghold of the ASG.
READ: Duterte visits, pins medals on wounded soldiers in Sulu
Duterte had been giving contradicting statements on how the government would deal with the Abu Sayyaf as he earlier said it was not wise to drive the ASG to despair.
READ: Duterte: Not wise to drive Abu Sayyaf, Maute group to despair
The President has repeatedly lambasted the extremist group for beheading their hostages and kidnapping foreigners in Mindanao seas. JE/rga