PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, August 30, 2020, said he was on his way to Jolo to visit the troops and inspect the sites of the two August 24 explosions that killed 15 people and wounded 74 others.
“I’m going to Jolo, diretso ako ngayon sa Jolo, doon sa blast site, mabigyan ko lang yung mga sundalo natin - mga sundalo ko, pulis ko - ng importansya sa kanilang kamatayan. I’ll go there to fulfill the duty of a commander-in-chief,” he said in a message during an online concert in his honor Sunday.
Eight Army soldiers and one Special Action Force (SAF) policeman were killed in the August 24 explosions in Jolo. Six civilians also died.
The Philippine Army (PA) has identified the fatalities as Private Juvienjay Emlani, Staff Sergeant Manuelito Oria, Staff Sergeant Louie Cuarteros, Private Omair Muksan, Private John Rey Paller, Private James Apolinario, Private John Agustin and Private Auib Sahid.
The lone fatality from SAF was identified as Senior Master Sergeant Joe Michael Langbis.
Two explosions, believed to have been triggered by two suicide bombers from the Abu Sayyaf Group, rocked Barangay Walled City in Jolo, Sulu about 100 meters apart at 11:50 a.m. and 1 p.m. on August 24.
Seventy-four other soldiers, policemen and civilians were wounded. (Marites Villamor-Ilano/SunStar Philippines)