Enemies moving around 'like rats'

MANILA - Efforts to end the conflict in Marawi City may still take more time even as government troops have already taken back rebel-held areas nearly a month since fighting against Islamic State-linked terror groups began.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brigadier Gen. Restituto Padilla said this Wednesday, explaining that terrorists occupying the conflict zone used their familiarity with Marawi's urban terrain to their advantage, making government's clearing operations difficult.

The terrorists are known to hold sniper positions around the city and even used drones for battlefield surveillance.

"May mga nananatili pang gusali na hanggang sa ngayon ay pinagkukutahan pa nila. Ang nangyayari po kasi, pupunta sila diyan, akala natin wala na, tapos babalik at gagamitin ulit ito. Sila po'y parang mga daga," he told DZMM on Wednesday.

(There are some buildings still occupied by the terrorists. What's happening is, these terrorists would go back to some of the buildings already cleared by the troops. They are moving in and out of the buildings like rats.)

Padilla said government forces battling terrorists in a similar terrain in other countries have taken time, with some conflicts lasting months due to the complex strategy employed by the enemies.

Given the situation, government forces will continue to conduct air strikes as part of clearing operations as civilians remained trapped in the conflict zone, the official said.

"Humihingi po kami ng kaunting paumanhin sa ating mga kapatid na Maranao. Bagama't sinsisikap natin 'tong tapusin sa madaling panahon, maaaring matagalan pa ito dahil sa clearing operations," he said.

(We're apologizing to our Maranao brothers and sisters for this. We are doing our best to end this conflict as soon as possible, but this may still take time because of the difficulty in the clearing operations.)

Meanwhile, Padilla said the military has received reports about foreign terrorists attempting to enter the country to presumably reinforce the Maute and Abu Sayyaf fighters in the besieged southern city.

The Malaysias government, he said, has captured two suspected terrorists - an Indonesian and a Malaysian - attempting to sail to Mindanao.

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"Hindi natin batid kung talagang Marawi ang kanilang destinasyon pero ang pagkakahuli sa dalawang ito ay kailangan suriin nang mabuti kasi baka yung panawagan na ginawa ng malaking grupo na ito sa gitnang silangan ay maaari sila magsilipat dito," he said.

(We have no idea yet if they are heading for Marawi. But we have to take a look at this because they might be heeding a call from the big group in the Middle East to move here.)

Padilla assured the public that the military was doing its best to end the conflict in Marawi as soon as possible and to prevent possible terrorist reinforcement from other groups.

Clashes between government troops and the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Groups, along with foreign jihadists, began on May 23 as state forces attempted to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, known to be the anointed ISIS leader in Southeast Asia.

The conflict has displaced more than 230,000 residents and left at least 360 dead, among them 268 suspected terrorists, 66 government troops and 26 civilians.