Camp Edilberto Evangelista Station Hospital
June 3, 2017

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte visited the wounded-in-action (WIA) soldiers in Camp Edilberto Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City following an encounter with the Maute group in Marawi City.

During the visit, the President awarded the Wounded Personnel Medal to the soldiers, offered cash assistance, and a .45 caliber pistol. The Commander-in-Chief also checked on the condition of the injured troops. He managed to crack some jokes and uplifted their morale as he talked to each one of them.

Speaking to the media after the visit, President Duterte expressed his sentiments on the air strike in Marawi last May 31 (Wednesday) that left 11 soldiers dead.

“It is a very sad commentary, but these things will happen again and again and again. We are sorry that it happened, and I hope this will not be repeated. But there is no guarantee. In a war, everything is stretched and it can break any moment,” he said.

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial were also present in the visit.

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