Franklin
P. Gumapon
LABANGAN,
Zamboanga del Sur, Aug. 11 (PIA) – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has warned the
public of the presence of certain Arab nationals in some parts of Mindanao,
passing off as religious missionaries but actually doing indoctrination among
Muslim Filipinos in support of the ISIS movement.
Speaking
before the soldiers of the 1st Infantry (Tabak) Division, Philippine Army and
some officials and members of the Philippine National Police at the Tabak gym
here yesterday, Aug. 10, President Duterte appealed to the members of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and PNP to shield “our brother Muslims from
getting contaminated by ISIS disease.”
Duterte
considered the ISIS, which stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Sham, a looming
problem in the island. This group has its roots in 2002 when Abu Musak
al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian who was involved in the Iraqi insurgency in 2003-2006.
He was linked to al-Qaeda, a terror group, while he was in Afghanistan in the
late ‘90s.
“Wala
dyud ta makatilaw ug kalinaw diri sa Mindanao. Naa tay giatubang nga mga NPA ug
MILF,” the first President from Mindanao said.
(We
have not experience peace in Mindanao. We are faced with NPA and MILF
problems.)
“Ang
akong pagka-presidente, mangita ko’g kapayapaan (As the President, I will
pursue peace),” he added.
He
also reiterated his relentless campaign against illegal drugs, urging the
soldiers “to help our government and our people” fight the problem.
Lt.
Col. Benedicto S. Manquiquis, battalion commander of the Tabak’s Civilian-
Military Operations (CMO) said the President’s visit to the division has
boosted the morale of the soldiers. “This encourages our soldiers to work hard
for the country,” he said. (FPG/PIA-9)
