Stray bullet kills state worker, hurts pal in Marawi

A stray bullet fatally hit a government employee at the Mindanao State University (MSU) and wounded his companion in Marawi City yesterday.

Marvin Ablando, an employee of the regional Civil Service Commission in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, was hit in the head.

The same bullet hit fellow employee Zandra Arnica Uzman who is now confined at the Amai Pakpak Hospital.

Authorities said both employees were on their way out of the MSU in a Toyota Innova when the bullet struck the vehicle’s windshield and hit Ablando, who was seated in front beside the driver.

Col. Romeo Brawner, Task Force Ranao deputy commander, said the victims had just emerged from the MSU campus when they were hit.

Despite the heavy fighting in Marawi between government forces and the Maute terrorists, the MSU reopened classes for its 9,000 students last week.

The city government also established a temporary office to cater to the immediate needs of the residents of the war-torn city.

Ablando was added to the total number of civilians killed in the conflict, bringing the number to 46.

The fighting entered its 108th day with 649 terrorists and 145 soldiers killed.

President Duterte said he ordered the military to refrain from staging the final assault in areas where the militants are holding civilian hostages.

Duterte said launching a full assault on the remaining strongholds of the Maute terrorists would prod the militants to execute their hostages.

“It is to the national interest that we limit the (number of casualties)… civilians, and even the terrorist. I know you are angry (with me),” the President said to the military.

“There are things which I have to consider as the commander-in-chief,” Duterte said during the 60th anniversary celebration of the Social Security System in Quezon City on Wednesday.

Duterte said he would take full responsibility for his decisions.

“So, I am not ready to accept headless hostages, mostly Christians, and a number of Moro people. That would result in a higher intensity of hate,” he said.

“Either you agree with me or dispose of me. Period. We don’t have to talk anymore. You can either oust me if you want or follow my orders because that reflects my sentiment.”

Duterte believes soldiers are just keeping their complaints about his directives to themselves.

He admitted that soldiers may have gripes against him over why the conflict in Marawi took so long and his order to refrain from staging a full assault in areas where there are hostages.

“That’s our problem. The military cannot just explain, probably out of delicadeza, they just cannot say it. ‘That came from the President. He was the one who ordered it,’” he said.

The crisis in Marawi started on May 23 when Maute terrorists linked to the Islamic State laid siege to the city, burned several buildings and held dozens of civilians hostage. More than 800 people have died since the clashes broke out in the predominantly Muslim city.

The military has refused to set deadlines for the operation but claimed that the crisis is now in its final stages.

Duterte said there is no way to explain the beheading of hostages by terrorists.

“I said if you attack it, they would start to behead every hostage inside. Then how would I now explain to the people of this Republic what happened?” the President said.

“Because whether you like it or not, the buck stops here, they will not let it pass. That is failure, no intelligence… People would not listen to that. You are the President. Don’t give us that hullabaloo. We will have a problem. So I stopped it. Now you’d say ‘Why did it last this long?’” he added. –