Army chief: Maute Group still recruiting new members

From Malaya Business Insight (Mar 5): Army chief: Maute Group still recruiting new members

ARMY chief Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista said the Daesh-inspired Maute Group continues to recruit fighters, five months after the group’s defeat in Marawi City, in preparation for another siege.

Bautista said they have information that recruitment is not limited to Lanao del Sur where Marawi is a component city. He said recruitment is also ongoing in Basilan and Sulu, bailiwick areas of the Abu Sayyaf.

“Actually, that’s expected. In fact, after the Marawi liberation the common action of the supporters of the enemy neutralized is to recruit,” Bautista told a recent interview at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.

Maute members laid siege on Marawi in May 2017. The city was liberated by government forces five months later, leaving 974 Maute members, 168 soldiers and policemen and 47 civilians dead.

“We have received reports that the recruitment is not limited within Lanao del Sur. It also continues in the areas of Basilan and Sulu and even in the area of Palimbang (a town in Sultan Kudarat),” said Bautista.

The military initially revealed the Maute Group’s recruitment efforts weeks after the liberation of Marawi City.

Asked why many soldiers are still deployed in Marawi City five months after the siege, Bautista said: “There is threat,” referring to potential attacks by the Maute Group.

“The recruitment continues, meaning when there is recruitment there is still a possibility that they will lay siege or occupy another city, not particularly Marawi City. That is a big possibility,” said Bautista.

Bautista said the rehabilitation of Marawi City is among the issues being used by the Maute Group in the recruitment of new members.

Last December, President Duterte cited several reasons in requesting Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao for one year or until the end of this year, including the recruitment of Maute members.

Duterte declared martial law shortly after the Marawi siege. The initial two-month martial law was first extended by Congress in July, until the end of December last year.

“The rehabilitation of Marawi City is continuous because part of their recruitment is how they see the progress of the rehabilitation of Marawi, that’s why our President is doing all he can,” said Bautista.

“He (Duterte) has mobilized all government agencies; he directed local government units to fastrack the rehabilitation of Marawi City and our troops are there to ensure (the security) of the residents,” said Bautista.

Bautista said soldiers would not leave the residents even after the liberation of Marawi because “one of their worries is what will happen to them if they will be abandoned (by soldiers).

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/army-chief-maute-group-still-recruiting-new-members