MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Maute group holed up in Marawi City are down to about 20 to 40 gunmen, the military said yesterday as government troops continue to close in on the remaining strongholds of the terrorists.
Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the remaining Maute terrorists continue to pose a threat since they are still holding hostages in two barangays.
“Based on the ground commander’s estimate, their number has decreased to less than 40. So maybe their forces have been reduced to between 20 and 40. The force is getting smaller,” Padilla said in a press briefing yesterday in Malacañang.
“Their capacity to inflict harm, by the way, is still there because they still have arms, they still have adequate ammunition and they still continue to hold hostages. So that’s the compounding factor,” he added.
Islamic State-inspired Maute group laid siege on the predominantly Muslim city last May 23, prompting President Duterte to declare martial law in the entire island of Mindanao. The military has stopped setting a timeline for the Marawi operations after repeatedly missing its self-imposed deadlines.
Padilla said the clearing of Marawi City would not necessarily lead to the lifting of martial law in Mindanao.
“Actually, don’t look at Marawi per se as the reason for keeping martial law. You know this rebel group has a structure that is beyond Marawi. They have groups in other portions of Lanao, in Maguindanao, in Sulu archipelago,” the military spokesman said.
“It does not mean to say that just because we have been able to address the security issue in Marawi, there is going to be a preemptive lifting of martial law. No, we still have a lot of homework to do. We still have a lot of areas to address, and that is why we still need it,” he added.
Padilla said they are verifying reports that Maute group reinforcements have arrived in Marawi City.
“Be that as it may, the forces that have been laid out in the lake area are adequate to cover any kind of movement. Now, we anticipate those kinds of initiatives from the enemy: one of people wanting escape and get out at the heat of the fighting; and second for the possibility of reinforcement also making their way through that same corridor,” he said.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said they have received reports about a plan of the Maute militants to use the hostages as suicide bombers once they are cornered by government troops.
“We strongly denounce these desperate actions, which apparently are carefully calculated to create violent reaction from the general populace in order to create tension between ethnic groups, which the terrorist groups expect to work in favor of their cause,” Abella said.
“We, however, assure our people that government forces will continue to abide by the rules of engagement to ensure the safety of hostages, particularly women and children, in our drive to clear Marawi of all armed elements,” he added.
A total of 562 Maute militants, 128 government troopers and 45 civilians have died since the clashes started last May. More than 467,000 persons or about 104,000 families have been displaced by the conflict.
Recent developments in the campaign against terrorists include the rescue of four workers kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf and the death of terrorist leader Badong Muktadil.