No confirmation yet

Palace to wait till troops are safe in update on Fr. Chito

MANILA -- Malacañang spokesperson Ernesto Abella on Sunday said the executive branch will refrain from making further comments on the development in Marawi siege to avoid jeopardizing ongoing military operations in the city.

Abella's statement was released following Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Jesus Dureza's announcement late Saturday that high-profile Maute hostage Father Teresito "Chito" Suganob, the parish priest who was taken as one of the hostages by the Maute terror group since they launched attacks in Marawi City on May 23, is now in the hands of the government.

Abella said Malacañang will be providing information on the recent development as soon as the condition on the ground becomes stable.

"We will provide information and other pertinent details as soon as conditions on the ground allow us," Abella said.

Abella urged the public to pray for the safety of all and lasting peace in

Marawi.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to confirm the rescue of Father Suganob although it did confirm that two hostages were rescued.

AFP Chief of the Public Affairs Office (PAO) Edgard Arevalo said they are still validating if Suganob was among the two hostages rescued by the government troops on Saturday evening.

"We are still validating that information. As of now, we cannot still give details. The rescue operation is still ongoing," Arevalo said.

Earlier, Dureza wrote in his Facebook post about the safe rescue of Suganob and another hostage near Bato Mosque.

He said the report came from one Franklin Quijano of Iligan City.

But Dureza cautioned, "To those who would wish to get more details, please wait for the official announcement coming from the AFP and or the Palace in order not to jeopardize the ongoing mil operations."

Earlier, the military said bandits held their hostages in Bato Mosque.

However, the AFP said they have already taken over the mosque from the enemy.

Suganob was the vicar general of the Cathedral of Our Lady Help of Christians who was abducted along with the people inside his church when the islamic stateinspired group attacked the city.

After a week of being hostaged, Suganob's video made its round online, where he was pleading for the government, particularly President Rodrigo Duterte, to help him. SunStar Philippines