By Cecille Suerte Felipe
MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa defended President Duterte’s directive to shoot and kill Abu Sayyaf bandits even if it could also harm their hostages, saying it was not the President’s intention.
Dela Rosa said the President is determined to end the problem of the Abu Sayyaf, which is involved in kidnap-for-ransom incidents mostly victimizing foreigners in Mindanao.
“Those statements of the President are just to emphasize that he wants to end this problem. He wants to bomb these terrorists, so if there are collateral damage, sorry,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino and English.
He said that armed clashes sometimes have collateral damage that are not intentional.
Dela Rosa said the number of kidnapping victims of the Abu Sayyaf continues to increase since some people insist on going to rebel-infested areas.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), however, clarified that the military would pursue the Abu Sayyaf but would keep in mind that it should still minimize the loss of lives.
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