News Commentary 

By Raïssa Robles

It’s the third time President Rodrigo Duterte has flown abroad with all the defense and security officials in tow.

This time, however, Duterte brought along not only the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff, the defense secretary, the national security adviser and his special assistant.

Duterte apparently also brought along to Russia the commanding generals of all three major service commands – the army, navy and air force, according to a report by ABS-CBN’s Chiara Zambrano last night when scattered gunfire could be heard in Marawi City. [Read MORE…]