Duterte on wearing boots inside Marawi mosque: No disrespect, ayaw ko lang matinik

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he did not mean disrespect when he entered a mosque in Marawi City with his boots on, saying he just didn't want to step on broken glass.

"It was not meant to disrespect or dishonor [Islam]. Ayaw ko lang matinik [ako] pati 'yung lahat [ng kasama ko]," Duterte told reporters in an interview at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Duterte and his entourage were criticized for not removing their footwear when they entered Grand Mosque on Monday during their visit to Marawi City. The mosque has been retaken by government forces after it was seized by the pro-ISIS Maute group.

The President, who is from Mindanao, said the mosque's floor was littered with "rubble and glass" as a result of the intense fighting and bombardment in the area. He said he didn't want to get wounded as wounds do not heal fast on old people.

"Alam mo ‘pag masugatan kaming mga matatanda na... ang tagal mag-heal," the 72-year-old Duterte said, adding that they went inside the mosque to avoid being shot at by Maute gunmen who were still in Marawi City.

Duterte, who also claimed there was an improvised explosive device inside the mosque, said his wearing boots inside the mosque should not be an issue.

"Do not draw unpleasant inferences because nobody wants to dishonor a religion, especially me," he said. "Taga-roon, [sa] Lanao del Sur talaga, ang forebears ko."

Duterte made the remark after Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong criticized Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, who was part of the entourage, for allegedly taking a selfie inside the mosque with her boots on and without a hijab. —KBK/KVD, GMA News