Duterte to Marawi watchdog: ‘We are doing our best’

By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday criticized those who claimed that Marawi City, which came under siege in 2017 by Isis-linked militants, has not been liberated yet.

The Watchdog Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch had earlier said “there is no real liberation” three years after the five-month battle ended.

Many of Marawi’s displaced residents have not been allowed to return to their homes and there has been no compensation for property damage, the group added.

“Itong mga tao na nagrereklamo na ang sabi there is no liberation of Marawi yet. Look, government liberated Marawi not from the people of Marawi. We do not do that and we never did it. We liberated Marawi against the terrorist, Maute pati ‘yung ISIS,” Duterte said in a public address.

The President clarified that the government “never said that it is occupied by anybody, except by the government and the peace-loving Filipinos.”

“Of course, it is not freed by the activities of the terrorist. But if you’re talking about liberation tapos na ‘yan at the expense of blood of both sides.

“Pero sa akin mas masakit kasi I’m the Commander-in-Chief, marami akong sundalong namatay. We are doing our best. We did not ask for this fight. We had to destroy because it was the only way to put down the enemy,” he added.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)