Paolo Duterte wants VIP lounge for cops, soldiers in Davao airport 

Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte on Friday called on the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to allot funds for the installation of a VIP lounge at the Davao City International Airport for soldiers and policemen.

He said the sacrifices of the military and the police should be "respected and appreciated."

"Our soldiers and cops are only doing their jobs and they may be driven by other motivations when they joined the service, but for all their sacrifices for us, for what they are doing for our country, they deserve a little show of recognition and appreciation," said Duterte, son of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"It is because of this that I am asking the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines or (CAAP) to allocate funds for the establishment of a VIP lounge at the Davao City International Airport for our men and women in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police," he added.

Duterte is proposing that food, drinks and amenities of the facility should be free for the cops and soldiers.

He cited the sacrifices of government troops and police officials in defending the country against terrorism, communist rebels and being part of the Duterte administration's war against illegal drugs.

"The fight by the Duterte administration against terrorism and its war on illegal drugs allowed us to see the immensity of the sacrifice of our soldiers and members of the police in defense of our future, our security, our freedom, and the Philippine Constitution," he said.

"The attacks in Marawi City by the Mautes, for instance, serve as a grim reminder that we are living in an unsafe world. But it also stands as a glowing confirmation that there are people who will die to defend all of us against the threats of terrorism. Already, over a hundred of our soldiers sent to the frontline never made it back home, back to their families, alive," Duterte said.

"In other battles, soldiers are also fighting against the New People's Army, making sure that vulnerable communities are protected or liberated from the twisted ideology of an armed group whose desire is to only make lives worse for the people, the same armed group that is resolute in ensuring that extorting businesses would yield millions of pesos monthly," he said.

The Presidential son also thanked the cops and soldiers for their acts of heroism.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to these men and women -- for their selflessness, dedication, and courage and bravery to be on the line and defend us, our freedom, the security of our families, and the future of our country," he said. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News