A soldier stands near a ‘Peace is Possible’ mural painted by Mindanao State University students along a main highway of Pantar, Lanao del Norte yesterday. The mural is intended to be a symbol of the call for peace after the end of the assault against pro-IS militant groups in Marawi. KRIZJOHN ROSALES
Government troops have recovered more than 2,000 pieces of unexploded bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Marawi City while working to restore basic services in the war-devastated city.
Lt. Col. Emmanuel Garcia, commander of the 4th Civil Relations Group of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the recovered bombs and IEDs were disposed of under military-supervised controlled detonation operations.
The main battle area is still off limits to civilians as soldiers have yet to completely clear the area of booby traps left by the Maute group.
Garcia said even the technicians dispatched by a telecommunications firm to fix a damaged cell tower in the main battle area were prevented from proceeding to the area.
“They were prevented from going inside as ground forces are still clearing the area of IEDs as well as unexploded munitions,” he added.
The Maute group linked to the terrorist organization Islamic State attacked and occupied Marawi City last May 23.
The Maute group depended on their stockpile of IEDs to forestall the advance of government forces to their occupied positions, forcing the military leadership to attack them from the air.
The military said more than half of the 165 soldiers who died in the fighting were killed in IED explosions planted by the Maute group.
The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) issued an order for the speedy processing of benefits for the soldiers and policemen who died or were injured in the battle in Marawi.
ECC executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis the government set aside P2.39 million for the solders injured or killed during the five-month fighting in Marawi.
Banawis said of the P2.39 million, P1.75 million is for disability benefits while the remaining P640,000 million is for death benefits.
Meanwhile, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito called on government agencies involved in the reconstruction of Marawi City to strive to make the war-torn city a model for the rest of the country to follow.
Ejercito, chairman of the Senate committee on urban planning, housing and resettlement, said he intends to visit Marawi with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council chairman Eduardo del Rosario and some key urban planning experts in order to assess the scope of the reconstruction effort there.
He said that the rebuilding of Marawi is probably more challenging than the reconstruction effort for the areas hit by Typhoon Yolanda because this time around, all that is left of the area is rubble.
“We want to do it properly this time. We don’t want another Yolanda. Marawi could emerge as a model LGU (local government unit),” Ejercito said.
Military leaders yesterday commended and thanked the 225 members of three elite companies of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division that fought militants in Marawi City.
Officials of the 6th ID, led by Major Gen. Arnel dela Vega, took turns thanking the personnel of the division’s 61st, 62nd and 63rd Reconnaissance Companies that helped in liberating Marawi City from the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf.
The three companies arrived past 10 a.m. at Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao from Marawi City.
Officials of the three companies said it was difficult fighting terrorists in urban settings, but their men zealously persisted in clearing the areas they were tasked to reclaim from enemies against all odds.
Dela Vega told The STAR six of the soldiers they dispatched to Marawi City – Sergeants Vergel dela Cruz and Marlon Hechanova, Private 1st Class Jayson Palma and Privates Aljon Jimenez, Ryan Tamonan and Joshua Gerald Cagud – were wounded in encounters with Maute terrorists.
“Our men are lucky, none of them perished in their combat engagements there. We are thankful to those who prayed for their safety and welfare,” he added.
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