Palace denies military barred Duterte from visiting Sulu

Malacañang denied that the military prevented President Rodrigo Duterte from traveling to Jolo, Sulu on Friday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Jolo was not part of Duterte’s itinerary for Friday.

“President Duterte’s meeting with the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and the PNP [Philippine National Police] on the Jolo incident has always been intended to take place [in] Zamboanga [City]. There is hence no truth that [the] AFP did not allow the President to go to Sulu,” Roque said in response to a media report.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP chief General Felimon Santos Jr. also said the President was scheduled to go to Zamboanga City.

Roque said Duterte will talk with police and military officials to assure them that justice will be served following the killing of four soldiers at the hands of policemen in Jolo on Monday.

The Palace official also said Duterte will try to boost the morale of soldiers and policemen.

The PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation are already investigating the incident. On the other hand, opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry on the matter. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News