Casualties rise to 97 in Marawi City battle

From the Daily Tribune (May 29): Casualties rise to 97 in Marawi City battle

The raging battle for the control of Marawi City, which the Islamic State (IS) symphatizers Maute Group had occupied, had thus resulted in 97 casualties, including 61 militants, 17 state troopers and 19 civilians who were mostly executed by members of the terrorist groups.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the figures were based on reports from May 23 to 26.

Of the 61 slain Maute Group members, 42 were confirmed through body count while 19 others came from reports of witnesses.

Government losses included four police officers while 39 other state forces were wounded in battle.

“The AFP focus continues on safely clearing Marawi of terrorist elements still holed up within pockets of the city. Priority of ongoing military action is likewise aimed at aiding residents who are still trapped in the city’s interiors. Significantly, we have successfully rescued and assisted 124 trapped civilian residents since the start of the operations,” Padilla stressed.

Precision airstrikes and artillery fire will likewise continue at specific targets to hasten the clearing operations, he added.

Troops on the ground also recovered 24 high-powered firearms during the last 24 hours of military operations.

“The AFP and the PNP also belies reports of checkpoints being conducted by uniformed elements without badges or identifications. Checkpoints follow strict protocols and are strictly complied with. These reports if true, may be of unauthorized armed elements and should be discretely documented and reported. We have issued orders to our forces to ascertain these reports and deal with it,” Padilla said.

“Our forces are working overtimeto hasten the restoration of the rule of law and Marawi’s return to normalcy. We can only do this if we have the full cooperation of our citizens in these affected areas. We count on everyone to unite as one nation and do their patriotic duty for the restoration of peace in our country,” he said.

Islamist militants were still locked in street-to-street battles with security forces in Marawi city as if yesterday.

The violence prompted President Duterte to declare martial law last Tuesday across Mindanao to quell what he said was a fast-growing threat of militants linked to the IS group.

Authorities said the militants had killed civilians in Marawi, a mostly Muslim-populated city of 200,000 people, who included three women and a child who were found dead near a university.

Deadly rampage

“These are civilians, women. These terrorists are anti-people. We found their bodies while conducting rescue operations (on Saturday),” regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera told AFP.

An AFP photographer saw another eight bodies by a road in the outskirts of Marawi on Sunday, with local residents identifying them as employees of a rice mill and a medical college.

Herrera said the military had yet to investigate the reported deaths.

The violence began when dozens of gunmen went on a rampage throughout Marawi after security forces attempted to arrest Isnilon Hapilon, a veteran Filipino militant regarded as the local leader of IS.

The gunmen planted black IS flags, took a priest and up to 14 other people hostage from a church, and set fire to buildings.

Most of the city’s residents have fled because of the fighting, which has seen the military heavily bomb residential areas where the militants were believed to be hiding.

The military announced on Saturday, the start of the Holy month of Ramadan, that it would intensify the bombing campaign.

“In as much as we would like to avoid collateral damage, these rebels are forcing the hand of government by hiding and holding out inside private homes, government buildings and other facilities,” Padilla said.

Duterte and military chiefs have said most of the militants belong to the local Maute group, which they estimate has about 260 armed followers and has declared allegiance to IS. But Duterte has said local criminals are backing the Maute in Marawi.

The group of Hapilon are still holed up within the pockets of Marawi City five days after staging wide-scale atrocities in the city and amid the ongoing massive military operations.

2,000 civilians trapped

Two thousand fearful civilians were believed trapped inside Marawi city where troops are battling Islamist militants, authorities said.

Most of the city’s 200,000 residents have fled because of the fighting, but 2,000 remain trapped in areas controlled by the militants, according to Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesman for the provincial crisis management committee.

“They have been sending us text messages, calling our hotline, requesting us to send rescue teams but we cannot simply go to areas which are inaccessible to us,” Adiong said.

“They want to leave. They are afraid for their safety. Some are running out of food to eat. They fear they will be hit by bullets, by airstrikes,” he said.

The military announced on Saturday, the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, that it would step up the bombing.

“In as much as we would like to avoid collateral damage, these rebels are forcing the hand of government by hiding and holding out inside private homes, government buildings and other facilities,” said military spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla.

“Their refusal to surrender is holding the city captive. Hence, it is now increasingly becoming necessary to use more surgical airstrikes to clear the city and to bring this rebellion to a quicker end.”

The militants have killed at least 19 civilians, including three women and a child who were found dead near a university, regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera told AFP.

“These are civilians, women. These terrorists are anti-people,” Herrera said.

An AFP photographer saw eight bodies dumped off a bridge on the outskirts of Marawi on Sunday, with local residents identifying them as employees of a rice mill and a medical college.

It was unclear whether those eight were included in the military’s count of civilian deaths.
Cooperation between Islamist militants, criminals and corrupt politicians is common across Mindanao, where a Muslim separatist rebellion has claimed more than 120,000 lives since the 1970s.
The main Muslim rebel groups have signed accords with the government aimed at forging a final peace, giving up their separatist ambitions in return for autonomy.

The Maute, Abu Sayyaf and other small hardline groups are not interested in negotiating and have in recent years looked to IS to help them.

Solons start fund drive

Lawmakers from the Liberal Party (LP) yesterday started a fund drive to help the victims of terrorist Maute group in Marawi City.

The fund will be coming from the salaries of lawmakers.

“I will initiate a fund drive among my colleagues and to hopefully pass a multi-party resolution setting aside part of our salaries for the people of Marawi City as well as for the soldiers that died in the line of fire,” said Deputy Speaker and Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo.

Quimbo, a member of the Liberal Party (LP) said details of the find drive would be discussed  with other political parties in the House.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, of the Nacionalista Party (NP), also urged the nation’s largest corporations to provide cash and food to support the immediate relief efforts in conflict areas in Mindanao.

“The country’s biggest corporations can contribute hugely in extending assistance to the victims and the rebuilding efforts, hopefully the Marawi City crisis will be over very soon,” said Abu.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, said “that is a very good gesture. I am all for it.”

Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, who chairs the House committee on games and amusement, said a fund drive is the best way to help the victims of Marawi City crisis.

“There will be a fund drive.  We will pass the hat and also solicit from other well meaning friends who wish to extend assistance to our brothers and sisters in Marawi City,” said Tambunting, a member of the PDP-Laban.

Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) party-list Rep. Sherwin Tugna, who chairs the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, said the fund drive “can be done by members of the House of Representatives by contributing their own personal funds to help our distressed fellow Filipinos.”

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin underscored the necessity of assessing the extent of damage in Marawi City.

“For the Marawi relief, we should hold our horses and purses first. First, we should know the extent of damage. Second, we should ensure that there is a system or conduit of aid to ensure that this will reach the right persons. Third, we make sure that the government can not adequately answer the needs. In the meantime, please channel our generous spirit to the millions of urban and rural poor waiting to be helped,” Batocabe, president of the Party List Coalition.

For his part, Villarin said “we still will discuss concretely how we can help the people of Marawi. It has turn into a big humanitarian crisis with internally displaced persons in thousands.”

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