MAYOR Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has asked the assistance of President Rodrigo Duterte for the repair of the Zamboanga International Airport runway to accommodate highly maintained aircrafts.

Salazar said she relayed this concern to the Chief Executive during the security meeting at the Edwin Andrews Air Base before President Duterte led the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) rally last March 3 at the Mayor Agan coliseum in Tetuan village.

She said the President agreed with her idea to have the airport runway smoothened so that the Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 fighter jet could land here. The FA-50 was used during the Marawi siege.

“However, in the city of Zamboanga, we need to really smoothen the runway because aircraft such as FA-50 is a highly maintained equipment of the PAF and it is really our wish with Pres. Duterte,” the mayor said.

During the same meeting, Salazar said she asked the President and high ranking military officers for the maintenance of two battalions of marines and army in this city.

This, she said, is a proactive measure, given that the situation in this part of the region is highly volatile.

“This is a concrete solution that we have started after the 2013 siege and for the future of Zamboanga City,” Salazar said.

“This component will help the police and must really be put in place,” she said.

Another important issue the mayor brought out in her meeting with President Duterte was the accomplishments of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement units in the fight against illegal drugs. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)