P52M cash left in hideout
The discovery of P52 million in cash and some P27 million in checks in a house that the Maute Group had used “debunks claims that our troops have been involved in looting.”
Brigadier Gen. Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces spokesperson, also said yesterday that two weeks after the group began its attacks in Marawi City, signs like less resistance and less firepower suggest “they are low on supplies, low on everything.”
Authorities didn’t reveal who had issued the checks found in the house near Mapandi Bridge in Barangay Saduc Proper, which they searched as part of a clearing operation.
First Infantry Division spokesperson Major Jo-Ar Herrera also said that the homeowner still had to be identified, but that the cash and checks were turned over to the Joint Task Force Marawi.
As of yesterday, 120 members of the Maute Group and 38 government operatives were killed in the crisis that forced President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao for 60 days.
Philippine Marines discovered P79 million in cash and checks in a house, which served as the Maute group's machine gun outpost, in Marawi City last Monday morning.
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), P52 million in cash and P27 million in checks were found during a clearing operation near Mapandi Bridge in Barangay Saduc Proper, one of the areas occupied by the local terror group.
The Marine Battalion Landing Team 7 also recovered an M16 from the house after it neutralized the sniper post.
First Infantry Division spokesperson Major Jo-Ar Herrera said they've yet to identify the owner of the house where the money was discovered.
After the inventory, Herrera said, the cash and checks were turned over to the Joint Task Force Marawi for safekeeping.
Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesperson, said the recovery of the money and its turnover "debunk claims that troops have been involved in looting as claimed by some quarters."
Padilla said the AFP is doing its job "with honor, integrity, and on high moral ground."
Brig. Gen. Joselito Rolando Bautista, for his part, said the recovery of the money put a stop to the propaganda of the Maute group and their sympathizers, who have accused government soldiers of every conceivable crime.
"In contrast, the Maute/ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) vandalized, looted and burned school buildings, hospital rooms, houses and destroyed many properties in Marawi," he said.
Meanwhile, Padilla confirmed that there was considerably less resistance among the remaining Maute terrorists in Marawi compared to the first few days of fighting.
"That (lessening of resistance and lower of the volume of fire) means that they are low on supply, low on everything," he said.
The clash erupted on May 23 as the Islamic State-inspired local terror group prevented state forces from arresting it leader, Isnilon Hapilon.
He said that they don't when Marawi will be cleared of terrorists.
"We will wait for the ground commander's assessment of the situation," he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law after the Maute group laid siege to Marawi City.
As of yesterday, the AFP said 120 members of the Maute group and 38 government troopers were dead, while while at least 20 civilians were killed in the crossfire. /