Duterte on mosque visit: ‘We did not mean to disrespect Islam’

President Duterte defended Tuesday the need to wear footwear when he and other government officials entered the Grand Islamic Mosque in the besieged Marawi City, Lanao del

Sur on Monday.

The President’s statement came after government officials, particularly Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) assistant secretary Margaux Uson, were criticized as insensitive on social media. Uson had entered the mosque wearing boots and not wearing a hijab. Another female Palace official also did not wear a hijab.

While maintaining that he respects the religion, Duterte, in a media interview at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City late Tuesday night, explained why they had to wear footwear inside the holy place to protect themselves from the debris that was on the floor.

“’Yung nakita na nila puro rubble and glass eh. Ano, para ka matinik? Tapos papa-tetanus ka na naman? May IED nga doon eh. Gusto mo mag-tinikling ka doon? (What they saw was the place was filled with rubble and broken glass. For what? For you to get hurt? Then you’ll have another tetanus shot? There were even improvised explosive devices there. You want to dance the tinikling there),” Duterte told reporters.

“I respect Islam, that was the religion of my [grandmother]… it was not meant to disrespect or dishonor [the religion],” Duterte added.

Removing footwear and wearing a hijab for women are practiced by Muslims when inside a mosque.

Duterte, to make things lighter, also said that he, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, and others had to wear footwear inside the mosques because they are taking longer time to heal due to their old age.

“Ayaw ko lang matinik pati ‘yung lahat. Kasi matanda na. Alam mo ‘pag masugatan kaming mga matatanda na, [expletive], ang tagal mag-heal (I just don’t want for us to get wounded because it takes longer for us older people to heal),” the 72-year-old President said.

Marawi Crisis Management Committee head Zia Alonto Adiong had earlier criticized Uson for wearing boots and for not wearing a hijab when she entered the Grand Mosque during Duterte’s return to Marawi City on Monday.

According to Adiong, government officials should “avoid actions that may offend our Muslim brothers and sisters” and advised the staunch Duterte supporter to “hire an etiquette manager, if there’s any.”

Duterte’s visit to Marawi City on Monday marked his fourth visit to the troops fighting in the besieged City.

He also distributed goods and watches to soldiers and even cigarettes to those who wanted it. He, however, warned them about the dangers of smoking.

“I will not stop you [from smoking] kasi under stress kayo (because I know you are stressed out),” Duterte had told the soldiers in Marawi City.

The President also promised a trip to Hong Kong to all women assigned to Marawi after the crisis.

A day before Duterte’s visit, the military successfully penetrated an area believed to be the beginning of the final defensive line of the terrorists.

The war in Marawi City against the Daesh-inspired Maute group started on May 23, 2017, prompting the declaration of Martial law in the entire island of Mindanao. The ongoing war prompted Congress to grant the martial law extension until December 31, 2017.