AS A sign of gratitude for their bravery, President Rodrigo Duterte joined a boodle fight with 500 military and police peacemakers stopped the alleged Abu Sayyaf members in the towns of Inabanga and Clarin, Bohol Province last April.

Duterte, in a speech, recognized the troops and thanked them for a job well done.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa inyo that you stayed true to your mandate,” Duterte said, which elicited a round of applause from the soldiers.

Duterte said he appreciated the military and the police who continue to fight terrorism.

“We cannot fight like the terrorists because we have to stay true to the Constitution and to prevent any injury to the community,” he said.

Duterte and the troops shared the meal prepared on a long table, which consisted of various dishes like fried yellow fin and tangigue fish, lechon, bam-i, rice, banana and softdrinks.

Members of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force who joined the boodle fight also said that the event was memorable for them.

“I’m retiring next year and I am glad that I got the opportunity to share a boodle fight with our President. I saw his sincerity in giving support to us, the military,” a member of the Army told SunStar Cebu after the boodle fight.

A Navy personnel also expressed his joy that he got the chance to meet Duterte.

“I was very full not only with the food but also with the President’s presence. It was very fulfilling,” he said.

An Air Force official said that she was also happy to have served the President.

She was part of the planning of air assets during the month-long operation against the Abu Sayyaf group in Bohol.

Police and military officials also presented to Duterte the firearms, bullets, remnants of the improvised explosive device recovered from the Bohol clash.