Duterte: Rebellion in Mindanao is purely ISIS

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday indicated that international terror group ISIS was behind the rebellion in Mindanao amid clashes between the government’s security forces and the Maute group in Marawi City.

Duterte explained that the Maute brothers went to Libya and another country.

“Alam mo iyong rebellion ngayon sa Mindanao, it’s not Maute, it’s purely ISIS with different brands kasi sila ang nag-umpisa. Actually, iyang Maute brothers went to Libya and another one,” he said.

Duterte made the revelation at the oath-taking of his newly-appointed officials. This was his first event in Manila after arriving from Russia on May 24, a day after he placed Mindanao under martial law.

He also reiterated that the terrorists had long planned to attack Marawi City, especially when ISIS named Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon as its emir in the Philippines.

“Itong Marawi na ito, has long been planned. It could not just be a decision na, ‘Let’s go to Mindanao.’ Plano na ito lahat and it’s a long time, so ako naman as student of you know what history. Noong si Hapilon na pinadala sa Central Mindanao and he was anointed as the emir, doon na ako nakaamoy na something terribly wrong is going to happen kasi dala-dala niya iyong ISIS eh,” Duterte said.

But he pointed out that ISIS is penniless as he repeated that the unrest in Marawi City has been funded by drug money.

“Iyong Maute is just a family name of two brothers. They started and I warned you before and I am warning you now na ang ISIS walang pera and by the time they are pushed back and lose the land mass, they will scamper to everywhere. Dito ang nagfu-fuel sa insurrection ang drugs. Sinadya talaga nila iyan,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News