A convoy of Presidential Security Group together with technical personnel from the Radio TV Malacañang and army troopers were ambushed at around 10:30 in the morning on Tuesday, November 29 while en route to Marawi City, particularly in Barangay Matampay.
In a statement to the media, the Office of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said the convoy was hit by an improvised electronic device (IED) planted in a roadside exploded.
PCOO said nine persons were injured during the incident – seven were members of the PSG while the other two were regular members of the army.
Five of the wounded members of the convoy were immediately airlifted to an undisclosed medical facility for emergency care while the rest were given first aid treatment.
One of the five who were airlifted, one sustained serious injuries, the PCOO added.
“Rest assured that all shall be given immediate medical attention,” the PCOO said, adding that President Duterte has consistently expressed concern for uniformed personnel who bravely walk in harm’s way so we can live in peace and freedom.
“We assure our brave men and women who put their lives on the line for duty and country that their Commander-in-Chief will never abandon them in their time of need,” the PCOO statement pointed out.
Meanwhile, the PSC also issued a statement saying that members of their command are well-trained and prepared to protect and secure the President.
President Duterte is set to visit Marawi City in the province of Lanao del Sur today, Wednesday.
Full military offensives are being carried out for five days now in the town of Butig in said province after the Maute Group occupied the town that caused massive evacuation of civilian populace.
Latest count provided by the military said the offensives have already resulted to the death of 40 members of said terror group.
Twenty members of government forces were also wounded during the offensives.
Meanwhile, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte condemned the IED explosion that injured members of the presidential security group Tuesday morning in Marawi.
The attack, he said, was apparently intended to send a message to his father, President Duterte, saying “The message of the attack was clear and it targeted my father and his administration. It was meant to terrorize the government and the Filipino people.
The vice-mayor added it meant to undermine the present administration’s peace efforts and development agenda in Mindanao and the entire country.
“The enemies of peace and meaningful change are out on a rampage now that the Duterte administration’s peace and development efforts are rapidly gaining momentum in Mindanao and many other parts of the country. There are groups who are not happy about what’s happening now,” the presidential son said.
The young Duterte also called on the public to help the government in its fight against terrorism.
“We have to be at all times vigilant because there are still people and groups who are out to destablize our government and terrorize the Filipino people,” he said.
