“Alam mo kung hindi talaga bobo ‘yang mga oppositors, you know you have to declare martial law in the entire Mindanao kasi wala ito… We are not separated by waters and they can always seek refuge because apparently nandito karamihan wala namang Kristyanos, all Moro from Mindanao,” wika ni Pangulong Duterte sa mga sundalo ng dumalaw ito sa 4th Infantry Division ng Philippine Army sa Cagayan de Oro City kamakalawa ng gabi.
Binigyang-diin ni Pangulong Digong na kailangan na talaga niyang ideklara ang Martial Law sa Mindanao dahil sa ginawang paglusob ng Maute group sa mapayapang Marawi City habang ito ay nasa Russia para sa kanyang 4-day official visit.
Dahil dito, idineklara niya ang Martial Law habang nasa Moscow at agad pinutol ang kanyang biyahe upang umuwi ng Pilipinas para harapin ang suliraning nilikha ng Maute group at Abu Sayyaf leader Isinilon Hapilon sa Marawi City.
“And that is why you have to declare the whole of Mindanao. Kung hindi ba naman mga bogo (bobo), p**** i**, hindi makaintindi ng ganun,” dagdag pa ng Pangulo.
“Well, we had known along the buildup here in Marawi. That is why if you were tracking me, my statements in public was that “do not force my hand into it” ‘cause there were already terroristic acts including all --- also victims were the innocent men and women and children. Ang Pilipinas, ayaw kasi, medyo complacent. Pero sila sa military pati police, wina-warningan na ako na it has become critical in Mindanao.,” dagdag pa ni Duterte.
Ipinaliwanag din ng Pangulo ang kanyang batayan sa pagdedeklara ng Martial Law sa buong Mindanao sa halip na ideklara lamang ito sa Marawi City kung saan naroroon ang kaguluhang nilikha ng Maute group.
“So even on hot pursuits, they would go running towards Lanao del Norte or going down to Basilan, kaya kailangan mo... Kasi bakit mo i-martial law ang Marawi lang? Eh kung kagaya ngayon nagtatakbuhan na? You have to pursue them and if they are ordered, they might just ought to be terrorist states, bomba dito, bomba doon. Mahina kasi talaga ang grap --- ang ano ng... You have to grapple between the naive or a pretended naïveté. This is Moro land ang Mindanao. It is not just a land of opportunities for all, Christians and everybody. So ang sympathy talaga niyan magbakbakan, ‘pag nagtakbo yan, in all direction,” giit pa ng Pangulo.