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| Philippines President Duterte |
By Edith Regalado and Alexis Romero
DAVAO CITY , Philippines – President Duterte yesterday thumbed down anew the overture of the matriarch of the notorious Maute clan for a possible ceasefire and peace talks with the government amid the continued siege in Marawi City that has already claimed almost 200 lives.
“Iyong casualties natin, medyo mabigat, kaya sabi nila na mag-usap iyong nanay ni Maute, sabi ko (We suffered heavy casualties so they said I should talk to the mother of the Mautes, I said), ‘No, I will not.’ I will not talk anymore kasi marami na ang sundalo ko namatay. Marami nang pulis ko namatay. P***** i**, huwag mo akong bolahin diyan usap-usap na ’yan (because many of my soldiers have died. Many of my policemen have died. Son of a b****, do not fool me with those talks). Not anymore,” the President said in a pep talk with soldiers of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat yesterday afternoon.
Duterte was referring to Ominta “Farhana” Romato, the first wife of Cayamora Maute, the patriarch of the clan who was arrested Tuesday morning in an Army-led Task Force Davao checkpoint in Barangay Sirawan here. Romato herself remains at large.
Maute and Romato are said to be the brains behind the organization, networking and operation of the Maute group.
Read the full story at PhilStar