AFP: Troops in full control of Marawi

An official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday claimed that the military had regained complete control of Marawi City as ground commanders asserted that the end of the clashes against an ISIS-inspired group would soon come.

AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. belied claims that half of Marawi City was still besieged by the ISIS-inspired Maute group.

“We have complete control of the city, by the way, contrary to what is coming out in social media and other information, perhaps some fake news. It is not true that half of the city is controlled by the rebels. Totally untrue,” Padilla said during the first Mindanao Hour in Malacañang.

He, however, admitted that troops were still clearing some areas in the city.

“Our forces are in complete control of the city, except for certain areas of the city where they continue to hold. These are the subject of clearing operations that are continuously being conducted,” he said.

“We are in full control, meaning to say we can control who comes in and who comes out, who moves around and who doesn't. And we're trying to isolate all these pockets of resistance that have remained,” he added.

Padill also assured that the military would soon end the clashes in Marawi City.

“Although we do not have a timeline, but we’re seeking to end this as soon as possible. Our ground commanders have assured that the end is almost there. So, we hope to get clear results,” he said.

The firefighting in Marawi City began on May 23 after the Maute group attacked as the military tried to serve an arrest warrant on Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon. This prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao on the same day, even if he was in Russia fr a supposed four-day official visit.

Marawi clash in numbers

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, meanwhile, provided the number of casualties as of 6 p.m. on May 28:

• Civilians killed by Maute members – 19
• Maute  members killed – 61; confirmed by body count – 42, confirmed by eye witnesses – 19
• Government’s casualties: killed in action – 15 AFP, 3 PNP; wounded in action – 61 AFP, 3 PNP

Abella said that there were 390 civilians rescued amid the clashes. The government’s security forces were also able to recover 37 high-powered firearms and four low-powered firearms.

Abella also reported that as of Monday, 12,509 families or 59, 665 people were displaced in Regions 10 and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

He added that a total of P1,172,725.00 worth of assistance had been provided to affected families in ARMM as of date.

Meanwhile, Abella said that the National Power Corporation Mindanao Generation (NPC MinGen) declared that the operations of power plants in the Marawi City and Lanao area are normal.

As 10:20 a.m. on May 28, 2017, the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative or Lasureco reported the following:

• 1st district of Lanao del Sur comprising 15 municipalities is 100% energized
• 2nd district of Lanao del Sur comprising 16 municipalities is 100% energized
• Marawi City is 40% energized

Abella also reminded that the Department of Trade and Industry on May 25 enforced a 60-day price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities in Regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and Caraga following the Mindanao martial law declaration. —ALG, GMA News