Marawi City (CNN Philippines, July 29) — Senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao on Saturday met with government troops in Camp Ranao in Marawi City, boosting their morale as the crisis enters its 68th day.
Giving encouraging words to the men and women in uniform, Pacquiao said they are the heroes of the country and not him.
“Kayo ang…pinaka-hero…hindi si Manny Pacquiao—one-on-one lang yan sa boxing eh. Pero kayo, buhay ang itinaya ninyo para sa ating bansa,” Pacquiao said in a speech before the troops.
[Translation: You are the heroes of the country, not Manny Pacquiao. I just do one-on-one boxing. But you, you are sacrificing your life for the country.]
Pacquiao, an army reserve officer with the Lieutenant Colonel rank, also likened the clash to a boxing fight where they are on the tail end of the match before victory.
“Huwag kayong sumuko, kumbaga sa boxing, last three rounds na lang. Last three rounds wag tayong mag-menor kailangan hanggang to the last round tapusin natin ang ating laban.”
[Translation: Don’t give up. If this was boxing, we’re in the last three rounds. Don’t hesitate, we should see this through until the end.]
He added he is all out in supporting the women and men at the frontlines in the clashes in Marawi.
“High salute ako sa ating mga kasundaluhan na lumalaban at hindi sumusko,” Pacquiao said.
[Translation: I’m saluting all our soldiers who don’t give up in fighting.]
The Senator said if he would be allowed, he would fight alongside the troopers on ground zero.
“Kung imbitahan niyo akong sumama doon, sa may nagpuputukan na yan, ay hindi ako magdalawang isip para samahan kayo. Gusto niyo ba?” Pacquiao said.
[Translation: If you invite me to join you there, where the firefight happens, I will not hesitate to go with you. Do you want that?]
Pacquiao reiterated his strong support and commitment to empower the troops in his capacity, both as a reserve officer and a senator.
He also expressed his full support for martial law, which the joint session of Congress extended until the end of the year.
He added if the situation calls for it, he sees no problem to expand the measure to Visayas.
Aside from the speech, Pacquiao also distributed relief goods to the Marawi troopers, and promised to help them by filing a bill in the Senate to increase their salaries and benefits, especially for the families of those killed in action.
Western Mindanao Command chief General Carlito Galvez said while government is inching closer toward liberating the war-torn city, clashes become more dangerous.
“The more na nagkakaroon ng compact na lumiliit na yung kinalalagyan nila, nagiging compact ang defenses nila and then nagiging more bloody yung operations in the sense na very intense yung firefight and very close,” Galvez said.
[Translation: The more compact their location is, their defenses become compact as well, making operations more bloody in the sense that the intense firefight is very close.]
He said the outpouring of support for the troops, especially from Pacquiao, boost their morale and empower them to keep fighting.
“Magaan ang loob namin po kasi nakapunta siya dito sa amin binisita kami niya. At saka sinasabi niya wag daw kaming susuko,” said Sgt. Shiradz Yusof of the Philippine Army.
[Translation: We feel better because Pacquiao visited us here, and he told us not to give up.]
In a press briefing Friday, Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag said as of July 27, 471 terrorists and 114 troopers were killed in action. She added 45 civilians have died in the clash, while 1,723 were rescued.
Cash donations for the casualties in the Armed Forces have totalled over ₱108 million, while assistance for internally displaced persons is at ₱830,000.
