Duterte to critics: Gov’t liberated Marawi not from its people but against terrorists

October 20, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte has slammed those who claimed that there was no real liberation in Marawi City three years after the siege.

In a taped televised message on Monday night, Duterte said the war-torn city was liberated from the terrorists.

"Here in Marawi, there were those complaining...these people are complaining, saying that there is no liberation in Marawi yet," he said.

"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, the Maute and the ISIS. That's what happened there. There's no such thing...you are using the word 'liberation'. We never said that it is occupied by anybody, except by the government and the peace-loving Filipinos," the President explained.

"Of course, it is not freed by the activities of the terrorist, but if you're talking about liberation, that's finished already at the expense of blood of both sides," he added.

Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch has criticized the government for the slow reconstruction of Marawi, saying it has been three years since the government declared the city liberated but there was no real liberation to speak of.

It said that no compensation has been made yet for the damage to properties due to the five-month battle between the government troops and the terrorists, which started in May 2017.

Thousands of people have been living in poor conditions in evacuation centers, the group added.

Duterte said the government has been doing its best to rebuild Marawi.

"We did not ask for this fight. We had to destroy because it was the only way to put down the enemy. They were also taking over in buildings, that's why it happened," he said.

Duterte acknowledged that it is not easy to rehabilitate Marawi.

"We started it and we are at it already because the clearing of explosives took time. Then you have to contend with the titles. Some of the titles there are doubled... there's no title that is really very clean," he said.

Duterte said the land title itself belongs to the military.

But the government has already waived its right over the land, he said.

"There (are) individual titles that are overlapping and so many things that to solve locally and the problem is about Marawi community itself, not the government," Duterte said.

He assured the government has the money to rehabilitate Marawi.

"Do not worry. And we will continue to spend until such time that Marawi is rebuilt to its former glory. It might take - you know, it's not easy to do that but it might take some time before we can really reach the ideal place that you'd call home," he added.

Vice President Leni Robredo, in commemorating the Marawi liberation, has said that liberation entails much more than silencing the gunfire.

She has also renewed her call to the government for a more urgent approach to the rehabiltiation process and recommit to the rebuilding of a more peaceful and prosperous city. Celerina Monte/DMS