Duterte says with boots on, sans jihab inside mosque in Marawi not meant to disrespect Islam

September 13, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte has said he and his companions had no intention of disrespecting Islam when they entered the Grand Mosque inside Marawi City last Monday.

Some Muslims have criticized Duterte, including Assistant Secretary Margaux "Mocha" Uson of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, for entering the mosque without removing their boots, and Uson, without wearing a jihab. They claimed that what the officials did were disrespectful of their religion.

Duterte told reporters in an interview in Taguig City there were rubble and broken glass inside the mosque.

"You want us to be pricked?," he said, adding that they could even got tetanus.

"Look, I am a grandson of a Moro lady. I know the religion, I know the culture," Duterte said as he blamed the Islamic State-inspired Maute terror group for everything that has happened in Marawi, including to the Grand Mosque, which according to the military served as a safe haven of the terrorists until it was retaken by the government troops in late August.

"He who is the cause of the cause is the cause of them all...I respect Islam, that was the religion of my --- there was no --- it was not meant to disrespect or dishonor," he said.

"Do not draw unpleasant inferences because nobody wants to dishonor a religion, me especially," Duterte added.

For the fourth time since rebellion broke out in Marawi on May 23, Duterte visited the city last Monday. Duterte's group went to the Grand Mosque. Celerina Monte/DMS