Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Photo: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the Congressto allocate funds to recruit 20,000 new soldiers to battle rising threats frompro-Islamic State militants in the country's restive south, senators said onAugust 2.
Senate majority leader Vicente Sottosaid Duterte wants to make sure that in his tenure, he will be able to resolvethe problem of peace and order.
Three other senators said thepresident is serious about the scale of the security threat and asked the Congressfor support to fund his plan to upgrade the military's equipment and intelligencecapabilities.
"We're willing to help,"said Senator Panfilo Lacson, adding that the president also asked to boost thepolice force by 10,000 men, recruiting more to be deployed as commandos to helpthe military fight insurgents.
[US helps Philippines fight Islamist militants]
On August 1 night, Duterte called an urgent meeting with a group of senators toshare with them the latest intelligence reports on plans by Muslim extremiststo attack three cities on the southern island of Mindanao.
In May, gunmen pledging loyalty to theIS occupied Marawi, a major city of Muslims in the south. Clashes between Philippinesecurity forces and the militants have killed more than 600 people.-VNA
VNA
