Duterte cancels Marawi visit due to ‘foul weather’

Carmela Fonbuena

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Duterte cancels Marawi visit due to ‘foul weather’
President Rodrigo Duterte is supposed to address troops at the headquarters of the 103rd Brigade in Marawi

MARAWI CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 8, cancelled at the last minute a planned trip to Marawi City, where government troops continued to fight “about 230” terrorists linked to the international terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS).

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said “foul weather” forced Duterte to cancel the trip. 

“The President is not continuing with his trip here. I think he will go as far as Cagayan De Oro City and visit some of our troops who are wounded,” Lorenzana said.

On Day 17 of the clashes, Lorenzana arrived with National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, Chief Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, and the top officers of the military to supposedly join Duterte’s visit. 

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III was also seen at the provincial capitol but was not seen in the camp anymore.

The troops inside the 103rd Brigade in Marawi City were already on position in front of the podium where Duterte was supposed to address them.

High-powered firearms recovered from the local terrorist groups were on display on a nearby table, as Duterte was supposed to inspect them during his visit.

Even the carefully selected members of the media covering the war in Marawi arrived in the camp, moved by Army trucks from the nearby capitol. 

Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23, when government troops began to fight local terrorists in Marawi City. (READ: Marawi under siege: It’s ‘like looking at Aleppo’– Rappler.com

 

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