The Daily Manila Shimbun

 

Duterte to visit Marawi on Friday

June 28, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday he will visit war-torn Marawi City this week. "I will go there (in Marawi) on Friday," Duterte said during his speech during the 120th anniversary of the Presidential Security Group in Malacanang Complex. The president said if he would "not be lucky," then he would return placed in a cargo. He said Vice President Leni Robredo who would succeed him.  

In jest, Duterte said aside from Robredo, "there is a pretender to the throne, assuming that I die within maybe tomorrow, next year, or next month."
He was referring to Elly Pamatong, who was declared by the Commission on Elections as a nuisance candidate in the 2016 presidential elections. Pamatong could also be his replacement, he joked.
When Duterte was not seen in the public during the past days, Pamatong came out with a post in a social media site with a presidential seal as his background. "There are two claimants to the presidency," he said, citing Pamatong and Robredo. But he reminded the PSG members not to be mistaken as to who is his rightful successor. "Leni is there," he added. He said during his absence he was visiting military camps to boost the morale of the soldiers. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has been fighting the Islamic State-linked Maute Terror Group for over a month in Marawi. (Celerina Monte/DMS)