Duterte meets troops in Jolo weeks after cops killed Army men

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday visited soldiers in Jolo, Sulu where a fatal shooting of troops at the hands of police officers took place two weeks ago.

“I confirm that President Duterte had just left Jolo, Sulu where he addressed the troops and visited wounded soldiers,” Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said in a message to reporters.

Roque did not elaborate.

On July 3, Duterte met with police and military officials in Zamboanga City to discuss the June 29 shooting incident.

He also gave a speech to the troops, urging them to remain calm and wait for the results of the probe being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Duterte also vowed that justice will be served even as he declined to condemn anybody at this point.

The military said the soldiers were conducting intelligence operations to track alleged suicide bombers when they were flagged down by the policemen.

The men had identified themselves as military personnel but were told to go to a nearby police station for further verification, police said.

Upon arriving at the station, the police report said, the soldiers allegedly tried to escape, prompting the policemen to chase them. The soldiers allegedly disembarked from their vehicle and pointed their weapons at their pursuers.

Police then fired shots at the soldiers, killing them. According to the NBI, one of the killed government troops had eight gunshot wounds while three gunshot wounds were found on the other two soldiers.

The nine police officers involved in the incident are currently under restrictive custody at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. -NB, GMA News