MILITARY offensives against the Maute group, now on their fourth day at Butig town, Lanao Del Sur, have resulted in the death of 40 bandits and wounded 20 troopers.
Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in a briefing Tuesday government forces continue to inch their way to the Maute group strongholds in Butig.
However, the military advance is being held up by sniper fire and threats of improvised explosive device attacks by the bandit group, he added.
The AFP offensive is headed by the 103rd Infantry Brigade, which is now reinforced by armor, artillery, and air units.
Arevalo said the Maute group, which is concentrated in Barangays Sindig and Bayabao, is putting up a tough fight but he expressed confidence that the military will break the group’s resistance soon.
Despite the intensified military offensive in Butig, President Rodrigo Duterte said the government is not keen on waging war against the Maute terror group, and said he preferred to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.
His remarks came even after receiving news that a presidential convoy—and advance team for his visit Wednesday--had been hit by an improvised bomb in Butig.
“Let’s befriend them so there won’t be any conflict,” Duterte said.
Duterte was expected to arrive in Marawi Tuesday evening to visit injured PSG members.
It is not unusual for Duterte to extend the olive branch to lawless elements, saying it is pointless to wage war.
“I can burn Jolo. I can burn Sulu, but what would it bring us?” Duterte said in his speech, referring to the strife-torn island in Mindanao.
He also recently offered to hold talks with the Abu Sayyaf Group, even as security analysts said such a thing would be impossible.
http://thestandard.com.ph/news/-main-stories/top-stories/222766/maute-snipers-hold-back-army-attackers.html
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