President Rodrigo Duterte wanted Filipinos to observe 4 days of mourning for the soldiers and police who died in Marawi clashes. Problem is, the Palace released his proclamation 4 days late. 

Proclamation No. 232, signed by Duterte on June 13, designated June 13 to 16, 2017 as “days of national mourning” when all government offices, public and private schools, and military posts are to fly the Philippine flag at half-mast. 

But the document was released by Malacañang only on Tuesday, June 20, 4 days after the public was supposed to be in mourning. Duterte was out of the public eye for 5 days from June 12 to June 16 and resurfaced only on June 17 in Agusan del Norte. He only said he needed to rest.

LOOK: #PresidentDuterte declared June 13-16, 2017 as days of national mourning for the deaths of soldiers who died in Marawi clashes. pic.twitter.com/X9v7uCjbCT

— Pia Ranada (@piaranada) June 20, 2017

It’s unclear now what the Palace expects the public to do given the late announcement, for which no explanation was given.

However, many government offices were already flying the Philippine flag at half-mast after June 12, Independence Day, when the government commemorated through a noontime salute the heroism of soldiers and policemen who fell in Marawi.

The names and photos of 58 soldiers and police were flashed on television channels and read out on radio that day.

“These deaths constitute a great tragedy to our nation, and during this time of grief, a most solemn and respectful commemoration of the heroic acts of our soldiers and law enforcers is called for,” reads the proclamation.

Duterte has spent the weeks following his martial law declaration visiting military camps in Mindanao. To soldiers wounded in Marawi clashes, he has given medals, cash gifts, guns, and cellular phones. 

June 20 is the 29th day of the crisis and of the martial law proclamation. – Rappler.com