Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2) — Today was supposed to be the date when the government should have declared victory over the terrorists in conflict-stricken Marawi City.
But Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said this couldn’t be so.
“Deadlines are relative to the amount of resistance that still exists and the threat in the area,” he said in a press in briefing on Friday in Malacañang.
“It was a deadline that was set forth and provided by the Secretary of National Defense so we can aim for it,” he added. “But the final decision actually rests on the ground commander and based on the report that we’re getting, I don’t think we can meet that deadline today to completely free Marawi of every single armed element in every street.”
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday in Malacañang that he was confident government troops would take full control of entire Marawi City by its self-imposed deadline of June 2.
He also said the military has been fighting some 500 armed men — consisting of the Maute group and the Abu Sayyaf, led by Isnilon Hapilon, as well as local armed groups — since last week.
Lorenzana added that up to 100 fighters were “holed up” in “reinforced buildings” in an area of Marawi City.
Meanwhile, Padilla said as of 6 p.m. yesterday, there were 120 terrorists confirmed dead and 1,024 civilians who have been rescued in Marawi.
However, others have yet to be pulled out from the site, with enemy snipers making retrieval operations extremely dangerous.
“Because they have occupied vantage positions, they have positions that could again inflict maximum impact to the troops,” Army Spokesperson Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera said. “That’s why we need to be very careful.”
Forty-six-year-old baker Edwin Makalipay was among those who were rescued the area, but at the cost of a bullet in his leg and a bullet under his nose.
“Tinitiis ko lang yung sugat, pati pag-ubo, doon na nilagnat ako doon,” he said.
[Translation: I had to bear the pain of the wound, coughing and fever.]
Meanwhile, a group of Indonesian missionaries were also among those who made it out of the war zone.
They had been in Marawi for weeks to preach Islam and were kept safe by residents inside mosques.
Peace corridor gives hope
Government Peace Implementing Panel chair Irene Santiago said also on Friday that a peace corridor has been set up in Lanao del Sur to help safely move people and goods.
“The peace corridor has been set up by a composite team of the AFP, PNP (Philippine National Police) and MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) who are, as we speak, travelling from Malabang to Marawi to set up the Joint Coordinating, Monitoring, and Assistance Center or JCMAC,” she said.
READ: Duterte OKs creation of ‘peace corridor’ with MILF in Marawi
Santiago said there will be three centers: one in Marawi; one in Malabang and a mobile center plying the corridor.
“More than 300 trained members of the joint peace and security teams are being deployed throughout the length of the corridor and will be augmented as the need arises,” she said.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto announced on May 31 that President Rodrigo Duterte approved the creation of a peace corridor managed by the government and the MILF, who are going through peace talks.
The corridor is a result of the President’s meeting with Moro leaders on May 29.
“The peace corridor is a manifestation of the shared vision of government and the MILF of what our society should look like: one that is open, inclusive, compassionate, just and cooperative,” Santiago said. “In working jointly to deal with this humanitarian crisis, the government and the MILF are also building a major corridor to peace.”
READ: MILF ready to help with Marawi crisis, Moro leaders tell Duterte
CNN Philippines Senior Correspondent David Santos contributed to this report.
