Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 26) — A Palace peace process adviser said on Monday that government emissaries had been sent to talk to the terror Maute group during the humanitarian pause on military operations yesterday — in an effort to free some 200 to 300 trapped residents in Marawi City. Unfortunately, the talks bogged down.
Asec. Dickson Hermoso, who coordinates efforts to recover trapped civilians, said eight Muslim religious leaders, or imams, had been able to talk to Abdullah Maute, one of the heads of the lawless group. Aside from the release of hostages, the possibility of terrorists laying down arms was also in the agenda. But due to differences in religious beliefs, negotiations fell through.
“Nagkaroon po sila ng argumentong mainitan dahil hindi nga sila nagkaintindihan because iba yung brand ng Islam nung kabila,” Hermoso told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: They had a heated argument, they could not come to terms because they have different brands of Islam.]
Hermoso said he could divulge the details of what was discussed due to the “precarious” situation, though he said there was an “adverse reaction” when the possibility of surrender was brought up.
It can be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte had said that there would be no more talks with the Maute group because government forces had already lost many lives. The President even told the Mautes to fight to the last man because he said his orders to the military were to bring the heads of the Mautes.
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Meanwhile, Hermoso said there was no feedback on Omar Maute after reports saying the terrorist leader might have been killed.
He also added that the government was hoping for another humanitarian or “operational” pause in Marawi soon wherein both parties could sit down and talk again so that more civilians could be freed from the besieged city.
