Two Maute brothers, Isnilon Hapilon still in Marawi –AFP

Two Maute brothers and Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon are still at large in Marawi City, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo said on Sunday.

"Yes, ang information, nandoroon pa rin sila," Arevalo confirmed in an interview.

"And in that sense, we are happy to know that, ano, sapagkat mas maigi 'yun at matapos talaga natin 'yung problema diyan sa Marawi, once and for all," he added.

Arevalo said that neutralizing the leaders who initiated the weeks-long attack was only a portion of the AFP's primary objective.

Entering its 76th day, the conflict has since taken 45 civilian lives as of Saturday night. A total of 523 local terrorists were neutralized while a total of 122 troops have also been killed.

"'Yan ang ating primary objective, yung ma-neutralize natin sila...hindi lang siguro yung tatlo but all other leaders of this terror group," Arevalo said.

"Even kung meron pang natitira na mga foreign terrorists na kasama nila, they are also subject of our intense desire to neutralize these leaders para, once and for all, matapos natin itong problemang ito na magiging problema pa ng ilipinas and other parts of Asia," the officer added.

"Alam naman natin 'yung leaders may supporters, may sympathizers sila, but kung makuha natin yung top honchos malaking pilay ito sa kanila, and then yung supporters, sympathizers, mawawalan sila ng rallying point, rallying persons. So masasabi natin that its going to be a big blow," Arevalo said.

However, he stressed that an end to ISIS-inspired terrorism and radical extremism could not be guaranteed even if the military takes their leaders.

"These are not just leaders-based, so sinasabi natin napakalaking bagay pa rin na makuha natin 'yung kanilang mga leaders, but we are doing other approaches in order for us to quell terrorism and violent extremism," he said.

In a text message, Arevalo said that radicalism and violent extremism "are means to an end," a belief that uses violence "to achieve ideological, religious or political goals."

"Neutralization of the terrorist leaders will deal a heavy blow on such means to attain their ends of establishing a 'wilayat' [provincial ISIS territory] in this part of Asia," Arevalo wrote.

The chief information officer noted that the ideology prompted the AFP to conduct programs and activities to counter violent extremism and radicalism, apart from the mandatory for combat operations targeting terrorist leaders.

A week ago, the AFP said they were verifying reports that  a "key terror leader" in Marawi was killed. — Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News