Ms. Ruiz: Good morning. Twelve minutes before 12, and this is the Mindanao Hour with Presidential Spokesperson Undersecretary Ernesto Abella. Good morning, sir! 

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Good morning, ma’am, kamusta po kayo?

Ms. Ruiz: Okay lang po, sir. Do you have an opening statement po?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo. 

Magbibigay po ako ng significant developments patungkol po sa Marawi.

Number one, may na-rescue pong seven more civilians doon po sa Marawi. This is a significant development. And then patuloy po ang recovery and control of more strategic vantage points by advancing troops.

Mga vantage po ‘yun na mga, katulad ng mga matataas na mga gusali, high buildings, and key structures in the built up area. 

Patuloy din po ang engagement and dialogue with key sectors and local leaders of Marawi in preparation for the rebuilding and the rehab phase.

Patuloy din po ang clearing operations nung mga barangay at there are — we also take cognizance that enemy resistance continues to dwindle and enemy-held areas continues to grow smaller as the troops advance.                              

However po, andyan pa rin po ‘yung compounding development na sinasabi natin. Na ang paggamit ng mga civilian bilang mga human shields at tsaka mosques [as] staging areas and safe havens.

Patungkol din po naman sa collision of the USS Fitzgerald and the ACX Crystal doon po sa ano, sa Japan ‘no.

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with Japanese and US authorities after a US Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with the Philippine-flagged container ship ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan.

Sabi po ng Embassy that they are ready to extend all necessary assistance to Filipino seamen onboard the ship. 

We’re open po for a few questions.  

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: 

Ms. Ruiz: Yes po. Tulad nga nung sinabi niyo sa inyong opening statement, sir. Nagdi-dwindle na ‘no ‘yung enemy resistance. So ang tanong po ni Leila, does this mean martial law will soon be lifted po?  

[phone line cut] 

Ms. Ruiz: Naputol. Balikan — Subukan natin balikan si Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella. 

Okay, balikan natin si Spokesperson Ernesto Abella. 

Hi, sir, sorry. Naputol po ‘yung linya natin. So ang tanong po ni Leila ng Philippine Daily Inquirer. Dapat ba daw po ma-lift na ‘yung martial law? Kasi tulad ng nasabi natin, nagdi-dwindle na po ‘yung enemy resistance.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo. As far as the Palace is concerned po talaga, the ano, the Executive branch wishes for all of this to end as soon as possible. However po, ang bottomline pa rin po ng martial law is public safety. Public safety as mandated by the Constitution. 

Si Speaker Alvarez has voiced his opinion regarding the matter and we respect that. However, the provision of the Palace will be benchmarked po upon the agreement on whether or not public safety is already sufficiently guaranteed. 

Right now po, katulad ng binanggit natin kanina, ‘yung compounding developments continue to be the ano, ‘yung paggamit po ng civilians as human shields at tsaka mga mosques as staging areas and safe havens.

Therefore, the schedule po for the lifting of martial law is whether or not it is already totally, completely guaranteed or sufficiently guaranteed for the safety of the general public or not. 

So hindi po natin binibigyan ng timeline ‘yan. Ang atin pong indicator ay whether safe na po talaga ang ating — ang publiko.  

Ms. Ruiz: Okay. Sir, may tanong naman po si JP Bencito ng Manila Standard. Ano po ang comment natin po sa naging editorial ng New York Times kung saan sinasabi na si Pangulong Duterte ay umano’y dapat din partly to blame for the escalation of the ongoing conflict with the Maute group in Marawi City. And was the President’s threat to IS-inspired groups in December last year for them to proceed with their threats to raise Marawi into ashes may have endangered the lives of many civilians in the area, as the editorial suggested?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Ma’am ano po, to media and to the public at large, we have to understand the context po and we need to be — it is really best na kapag tumitingin po tayo ay dapat makita natin buong picture.

Unang-una po, it is the interest really of the President — ang unang-una pong, foremost intention of the President is peace within our borders. Peace, especially within Mindanao. 

Tandaan po natin na kaya siya tumakbo dahil lang po sa ginusto niya — nakita niya na walang umaasikaso ng peace ‘no, ng kapayapaan sa Mindanao.

However, ang nangyari po ay nagkaroon po tayo ng mga outside threats. Pero maliban diyan, hindi ba nagsimula na tayo ng talks with both CPP — CPP-NDF, and NPA, at tsaka po sa MI and MN.

Ngayon, meron pong mga outside, mga outside forces who influenced some of our people — katulad ‘yung mga Maute group, na na-inspire sila ng mga outside forces. 

Pero po kung pakikinggan po natin, especially po noong nakipag-usap po ang Presidente doon po sa 103rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army doon po sa Butig noon po nung November 13 of 2016, ang sinasabi po niya, malinaw po niyang sinasabi, “What is very certain is that I do not want to wage war against my own countrymen. So nakikiusap ako sa lahat na tulungan niyo ako.” ‘Yun pong lahat ay kasali na po diyan ang mga Maute group. 

Sabi niya, “may hangganan.” But there is a certain point na kung ‘yung mga civilians at mga Christians and Moros alike ay, ang sabi niya, ‘yun ang sinasabi niya hindi niya matanggap. But lagi niyang sinasabi, “Ayokong makipag-usap, makipag-away sa inyo. Ayokong makipagpatayan,” sabi niyang ganon. “But please do not force my hand.”

Pero malinaw pong sinabi niya na hindi naman siya pwedeng patuloy na pabalik-balik doon and every month makikipag-usap, pagtalikod niya patayan nanaman. 

So ito po ‘yung context ng statement niya. Meron pong pinaghuhugutan ‘yun. ‘Yung mga statements ng Presidente. 

First and foremost, hindi na siya basta nakipag-away. He was willing and, kung baga po, erroneous ‘yung sinabi niya, hindi siya, he was not willing to talk to us.

He was quite open, he was asking them na huwag nang ano, huwag na manggulo, nakiki-usap siya. Pero noong patuloy ‘yung mga ano — ‘yung mga actuations nila, ay, he said ng ganon, “hindi na ako makikipag-usap.”

Pero meron — ang pinagsimula po niya, he was quite open. Andiyan po, it’s all on record. He was quite open, he was requesting, “Ayokong makipag-away sa inyo.” 

So ganun po. So let us give the President enough credit ‘no. Na he was also ano — hindi siya basta nakikipag-away lang. Syempre hindi naman alam ng ibang tao ‘yan, lalo na ‘yung mga nakikinig lang sa peryodiko, sa media, at namimili lang sila ng gusto nilang pakinggan.

Pero sa totoo lang po, ang Presidente natin ay maka-Pilipino at lagi po niyang interes ang safety, lalo ng Christians and Muslims alike. Hindi po siya nakikipag-matigasan ang ulo. Hindi po. May konteksto po ‘yan. It is always the public safety, it is always the public interest. ‘Yun po. 

Ms. Ruiz: Thank you sir for that answer. Sir, isa pang tanong po ni JP, may comment daw po ba ang Palasyo on the latest proposal made by NDF Chief Negotiator Fidel Agcaoili for a ceasefire with government troops to concentrate against Maute, Abu Sayyaf, and other extremist groups and their order to other NPA units in Mindanao to refrain from carrying out offensive operations against the military?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Meron pong response ang OPAPP kaya lang inaantay lang po natin so as soon as it is ano, available we would give it to you. 

Ms. Ruiz: Okay. Thank you sir. Sir, last question po from Ace Romero.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Yes, ma’am? 

Ms. Ruiz: Ano daw po reaksyon ng Palace sa report na may nagkakasakit sa mga evacuation centers sa Marawi at ‘yung mga sakit, kasama na doon ‘yung dehydration. Ano daw po ang aksyon n gating mga otoridad?

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Opo. Dito po, we can defer it to NDRRMC at tsaka sa DSWD at tsaka po sa DOH. And we are just waiting for the response, but I’m sure their action on the ground is much faster than their communication to us.

So we are doing something about it po. And priority and interest po ang health and safety nung ating mga taong nag-evacuate. ‘Yun po.

So also, I just want to note and announce that the President will be visiting the tactical operations group in — ano po — in Butuan. I believe that the event is open for media coverage. 

Ms. Ruiz: Okay. Thank you very much, Sir and happy Saturday.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Paano ‘yung ano, Happy Father’s Day, hindi mo ako babatiin? 

Ms. Ruiz: Oo, Happy Father’s Day din sa ating ama ng  bayan.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON ABELLA: Lalo na, hindi ba. Salamat sa mga ama. And we would like to greet all the fathers, we would like to say thank you for all the work that you’ve done — that you do for us. Good morning po and have a happy weekend. 

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