Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — President Rodrigo Duterte says his only wish for Christmas is peace.
He made the revelation yesterday during his trip to Zamboanga City where he visited soldiers who were wounded in recent encounters with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Basilan and Sulu.
The President gave words of encouragement to the soldiers, and extended financial assistance as well as mobile phones.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, when Duterte was asked for his Christmas message, he said he is hoping for a peaceful Christmas, including with the communists and even terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.
“I’d like to greet everybody, lahat na, to the Filipino people, the law-abiding, and of course, if they find it in their hearts though this is not really something for the Moro but you know that this kind of events is closest to the hearts of the Christians. Na we can have a peaceful Christmas,” Duterte said
Duterte also urged the ASG to “take a vacation.”
“Nakikiusap ako sa lahat na [I ask everyone] if we can have a peaceful Christmas. Maybe we can resume fighting some other day,” Duterte said.
“I’d like to greet everybody, the communists, the Abu Sayyaf, in behalf of the, sa taong Pilipino [all Filipinos], Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year for all,” he added.
Meanwhile, the relatives of those who were killed in action were also given checks worth P250,000.
