Finally, Rody enters Marawi

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – After several aborted attempts, President Duterte yesterday finally set foot on battle-scarred Marawi City.

The President, who arrived here before dawn Wednesday, did not announce his trip to Marawi, which officials said was repeatedly held back by bad weather that had also hampered efforts to liberate the Islamic city from militants.

Duterte left Davao City early yesterday afternoon for Cagayan de Oro City from where he took a helicopter to Marawi.

Officials cited security reasons for not announcing the President’s trip.

“If it’s my time, it’s my time. I cannot just leave my soldiers there. I have to be with them. I cannot just go to Marawi City when they would be on a celebratory mode. I have to show my face to my soldiers,” the President earlier said.

The President visited Marawi City just two days before the expiration of martial law he declared in Mindanao last May 23.

Congress is set to hold a special session tomorrow to discuss his request for martial law extension until the end of the year.

Duterte said there is a need to extend martial law as Islamic State-linked Maute militants were still holed up in Marawi.

Moreover, extending martial law would help the government speed up the rehabilitation of Marawi. The President is expected to tackle in his State of the Nation address the Marawi crisis.