Duterte vows to add more police, soldiers to deal with enemies of the state

July 24, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte vowed on Monday to increase significantly the number of the police and the military to deal with enemies of the state, including the terrorists and the communist rebels. In a media interview following his State of the Nation Address in Quezon City, Duterte said the government, as a counter-measure, would start to call for a mobilization. "I want the Army added by about 20,000 fighting men. I have lost a considerable number of my soldiers in Marawi. Then I will add about another 10 to 15,000 soldiers. But I want them SAF (Special Action Force)," he said. He said he was quite comfortable with the number now assigned in the precincts and in the environs of provinces and cities. But he added, "I would need about 35 to 40,000 to meet the future threats coming our way from within and outside the country and I will start also to re-arm." In his SONA, Duterte said he would make sure that more funds would be allotted to the security agencies. "To decisively address insurgency and terrorism, we are working doubly hard towards [achieving] a stronger and more credible national defense system for the country. We continue to strengthen the defense capability of the AFP as a deterrence against terrorists, lawless elements, and other threats," he said. Duterte reiterated his dismay with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front that despite his government's effort to reach out to them through peace talks, the rebels have continued to commit atrocities, including the recent ambush to the members of the Presidential Security Group in North Cotabato where at least five were injured. He also told the militant groups who were protesting on his SONA to go home because they could get nothing from the communists. Duterte noted that Jose Maria Sison, the founding chairman of CCP, has colon cancer. "Do you (communist rebels) think if the ISIS prevails in this country you will have a place in their society? You must be overly stupid," he said. The government has been fighting the ISIS-linked Maute Terror Group in Marawi City. Duterte has declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23 due to Marawi crisis. He sought for the extension of the 60-day martial law until December 31 this year, which Congress approved. He again justified why he had to declare martial law. "I declared Martial Law in Mindanao because I believed that that was the fastest way to quell the rebellion at the least cost of lives and properties," he said. (Celerina Monte/DMS)