Marawi City now cleared of terrorists – AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has declared Marawi City cleared of all terrorists but operations will continue although there are “no signs of life” in the war-torn city.

The AFP said that only 36 of the total 96 barangays in Marawi City are yet to be cleared.

AFP spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Marawi is now on the road to normalcy and military operations are now starting to bear fruit.

“The road to normalcy is on its way and we are very fortu-

nate that our engagements with the local government as well as with the inter-agency task force are bearing very good fruits,” he said.

He, however, noted that as of Friday, 16 more unexploded ordnances were found and are being addressed by their combined teams of explosives ordnance disposal experts.

“The clearing [operations] will continue. And we will continue to do this until we are fully convinced that all the IEDs (improvised explosive devices), all the traps, all the unexploded ordnance that may remain in the area have been found and addressed,” Padilla said.

“This is to preclude any kind of hazard that may be faced by our civilians once we have opened up the area for their return,” he added.

Padilla also disclosed that they have now opened nine barangays for the return of residents following the protocol that was established by the local government.

The AFP official also said that the military continues to recover firearms in the area and are now addressing the matter.

“Operations will continue until we address the proliferation of loose firearms that are in the area that may be a source of potential threats,” he said. Martial law extension Padilla said the military is not discounting the possibility of seeking an extension of the martial law implemented in Mindanao to help them address the remaining threats to security in the island.

The AFP confirmed that there are still threats to security posed by other armed groups in the island and unexploded ordnance in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur that impede the return of its citizens.

Padilla said that martial law remains implemented in some parts of Mindanao with checkpoints scattered all over the island to address the possible emergence of armed groups.

“In other parts of Mindanao, the implementation of martial law continues with the maintenance of checkpoints in key areas to address any possible movements of private armed groups, armed elements, lawless individuals, and other threats to security and peace that we have,” he said during the BangonMarawi press briefing in Malacañang Friday.

“We will continuously work together united in the objective of ensuring that our cities remain safe for the rest of the year, not only for the period that we have been given for the implementation of martial law but always 24/7,” he added.

According to Padilla, the situation in Marawi City is now starting to normalize but said having martial law still in place is helping expedite the process, especially in the clearing of 36 more barangays in the city.

“At the rate we are progressing, we are positive that we will be able to at least hand over the majority of the affected areas to those residents who would wish to come back,” he said.

Padilla said they are trying to finish the operations within the remaining period of martial law.

“We’re working toward that. We’re hoping to be able to address and normalize everything by the end of the year because that was the deadline given to us,” he said.

“But be that as it may, the network of the local terrorist groups still continues and this is the subject of our efforts. So if we are able to address that by December, then we will report that to you and give justification for the lifting of martial law,” he added.

“If not, we will have to request (for) an extension to be able to address the remaining threats in the area,” he continued.

No sign of life

Padilla also noted that since the killing of nine Maute members in military operations last November 5, they were not able to monitor any sign of life in Marawi City.

“The last firefight that we have recorded was on the 5th of November. This was when we reported nine Maute members killed in the last stronghold that they had in the main battle area,” he said.

“This has been the last. And that is why recently, there has been an announcement that we no longer sense or monitor any sign of life in the last main battle areas,” he added.

Padilla also said that all personalities that the AFP is going after inside the city were all accounted for and their bodies have been recovered, despite awaiting the confirmation of their identities.

“’Yung mga personalidad po natinarget natin, sa amin pong pagkakaalam, ay nakuhana natin (As far as we know, we already got the personalities we were after),” he said.

“Recovered po lahat ‘yun. At ang atin pong forensic teams na nasalugar ay nagsagawa po ng kanilang pag-record at profile ‘nung mga labi na ito at nasa sa atin po ang kanilang mga DNA sample at patuloy po nating inaantay ‘yung magiging resulta nito. (Their bodies were recovered and our forensic teams have recorded and profiled these bodies. We have their DNA samples and are waiting for results),” he added.

Martial law was declared by President Duterte in Mindanao on May 23, 2017 to address the terror threat in the island. When it expired on July 24, 2017, Congress granted its extension until the end of the year.

According to Padilla, the presence of armed elements in some parts of Mindanao, particularly that of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), is one of the reasons why they cannot recommend the early lifting of martial law despite the declaration of Marawi’s liberation last month.

“’Yung pangunahin is ‘yung network at ‘yung mga naiiwang bantana nanggagaling sa malalaking grupo na may kakayahanna maglunsad ng malakihang pagsalakay (The main consideration is the network of the terrorists and the remaining threat from large groups which can launch a large-scale attack),” he said.

Government troops are now working to clear Marawi City of the stragglers, unexploded ordnance and booby traps after concluding the five-month war against the Daesh-inspired terrorists in the city.