Palace believes Maute’s fire power to weaken soon

Malacañang yesterday expressed belief that the Islamic State-linked Maute Terror Group would soon run out of ammunition and be defeated.

In an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said as of now, the militants could still fight back the government forces because their attack to Marawi City had been planned for a long time.

“The enemy deliberately chose to retreat to the commercial area of the city so they can sustain themselves and their ammunition, so they could forage from there.

As to ammunition, as we have mentioned before, this rebellious activity turns out to have been well-planned, and adequate preparations had been made,” he said on observation that the terrorists seemed to be not running out of ammunition.

“They had also stocked up on ammunition they got from the city jail and armories that they ransacked. They have also recovered government items they foraged from other areas of the city...it is definite, however, that they will not be able to sustain it for long,” Abella said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier eyed June 2 to completely clear Marawi City of Maute members.

But the military missed the target as there were still pockets of resistance from the terrorists in some parts of the city.

Maute militants started occupying Marawi on May 23 prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare artial law in the whole of Mindanao. /