[Inquirer] Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to bomb Moro militants who flee with their captives in a bid to stop a wave of kidnappings at sea, calling the loss of civilian lives in such an attack "collateral damage."Duterte previously stated he had told his Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts that their forces could blast away as they pursued rebels who abducted sailors in waters where the three countries converge and brought their hostages to the southern Philippines.
In a speech in Davao City on Saturday, Duterte said he had instructed the navy and the coast guard that "if there are kidnappers and they’re trying to escape, bomb them all. They say ‘hostages.’ Sorry, collateral damage."
The president said such an approach would enable the government to get even with the ransom-seeking Moro extremists. He said, "You can't gain mileage for your wrongdoing, I will really have you blasted."
"So, really, don’t allow yourselves to be kidnapped," Duterte advised potential victims.