by Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos and Tara Yap
President Duterte has said that the Marawi City siege is not a result of the failure of intelligence but admitted that the government has become soft when it comes to dealing with rebels.
According to Duterte, the Maute Group was able to stock pile arms and ammunition before challenging the government by attacking Marawi on May 23.
“It was not a question in a failure in the part of the government. We have adapted a very soft policy towards rebels” said Duterte, who ended his five-day private time and quelle speculations about his health condition when he visited troops in Barangay Bancasi, Butuan City last Saturday.
“This came about because nagdadala sila ng baril e. And since we are thinking of getting peace with the MNLF and MILF, ang laro ng armas diyan, we took it for granted,” Duterte said.
“Pero alam natin na mabibigat pero we really took it for granted because we never knew at the time kung sino talaga ang kalaban,” he said.
Duterte said that the Maute Group was bringing in firearms in Marawi surreptitiously that the government was unable to keep count.
“Itong Maute were bringing the firearms surreptitiously at hindi natin nakuha na gaano na karami ang ammo pati baril sa loob,” Duterte said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard in Iloilo City said yesterday it was questioning three people for possible links with the Maute group.
Lt. Edison Diaz, the Coast Guard chief in Iloilo, said that two men and a woman were detained after arriving at the Port of Iloilo yesterday afternoon.
The three were aboard a 2Go ferry that arrived from Cagayan de Oro City and was to sail on to Manila.