Aides of Philippines’ Duterte attacked in ambush: Military

Manila / AFP

Seven military bodyguards of President Rodrigo Duterte and two other soldiers were wounded on Tuesday in an ambush by suspected militants on the eve of his planned visit to the southern Philippines, the military and president said. Military spokesmen said a bomb hit the soldiers’ convoy as it drove on a road in a southern region where an armed group which had pledged allegiance to the IS group operated, wounding nine. “My advance party was ambushed a while ago. The Presidential Security Group was hit by an IED (improvised explosive device),” Duterte said in a speech during a visit to a northern Philippines military camp.
“But I’m going there. The advice was to postpone it (the trip), but I said no. We are taking the same route if possible,” Duterte added without explaining the purpose of his trip. The convoy that was attacked in Marawi city also included local troops as well as staff members of the presidential communications office, though no civilians were hurt, military officials said.