Camp Rajah Sikatuna, Carmen, Bohol
November 27, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the turnover of housing units to beneficiaries coming from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) during his visit to Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen, Bohol.

The Certificates of Lot were awarded to the family members of the slain soldiers and police officers who were killed-in-action.

Similar to some of his recent visits to different military camps all over the country, the Commander-in-Chief also distributed firearms to select members of the AFP in a ceremony following the turnover of housing units.

In his keynote address, President Duterte stressed the need to equip the military with secondary weapons in order for them to protect themselves against rebels whenever they go out of their assigned camps.

“Ito, binigay ko kasi naaawa ako sa sundalo. ‘Pag labas kayo ng kampo, kung gusto niyo dalhin yung bayoneta niyo kung mayron nandiyan, but you are no match with the NPAs na mga Sparrow,” he said.

The Sparrow Unit is the hit squad of the New People’s Army (NPA) that became known during the term of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

President Duterte added that he shall form a ‘Sparrow Unit’ for the military that is capable of countering that of the rebels’, as well as to combat the trade of illegal drugs which is also considered a matter of national security.

He also reiterated his pledge to the military to take full responsibility should they be imprisoned in the performance of their duties. “If you think that your life is in danger, shoot… Sabi ko, ako ang managot, ako ang magpa-preso at hindi ako papayag na magka-kaso kayo for doing your duties tapos makulong kayo. That will never happen under me,” he ended.

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