MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Earlier on Tuesday, the firefight between the Maute Islamist terror group and the government forces in Marawi City left one police officer killed and eight more injured.
"President’s priority is always protection of the Filipinos within the framework of the constitution. We will follow all the rules and regulations," Cayetano said at the press conference in Moscow where Duterte is now with an official visit.
The outbreak of violence in Mindanao also urged Duterte to reschedule his meeting with Putin for late Tuesday instead of Thursday, as it was initially planned.
The Philippine southern island of Mindanao is regularly subjected to attacks by terrorist groups, in particular, Maute, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf militant groups, linked with Daesh terrorist group.
