Duterte teary-eyed as he hugged soldier who became blind in Maguindanao

President Rodrigo Duterte was teary-eyed when he tightly hugged a young officer who lost his eyesight after an improvised explosive device went off in Maguindanao several months ago.

Lieutenant Jerome Jacuba was among the soldiers Duterte met on Tuesday when he visited the AFP General Hospital on V. Luna Road in Quezon City.

The 28-year-old soldier became blind after he was hit by an IED during an operation

The blast caused total blindness in his right eye and retinal detachment in his left where he only sees light perception. He was admitted in the hospital March 4.

Video by Radio-TV Malacañang caught Jacuba crying before he hugged the President.

Major William Recuenco, one of the doctors who cared for Jacuba, said that the soldier was married with two children.

The doctor said that Jacuba would no longer see again.

He is currently staying at the AFP hospital for a visual rehabilitation to learn how to live with his new condition.

Recuenco said Jacuba would soon learn how to use the braille.

Jacuba, who went to the Officer Candidate School, is up for promotion to first lieutenant, Recuenco said.

Duterte is pursuing peace talks with the New People's Army, Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.

He has made the rounds of military camps to meet soldiers and tell them about his peace initiatives. —NB, GMA News