Less than 50 Maute members left in Marawi —AFP official

Less than 50 members of the ISIS-inspired Maute group are fighting in Marawi City, a military official said on Sunday.

Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Ranao, also said that the local terrorists' resistance has become weaker lately.

Brawner, however, said that the military will not be able to end the crisis soon.

"Hindi. Hindi ngayong araw na ito," the military official said when asked if the crisis will end on Sunday, a day after the September 30 target announced by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Meanwhile, a Mass was held at the Saint Mary's Cathedral for the first time on Sunday morning since the Maute group attacked the city four months ago.

"Well ah, ano bang kuwan... well ang sinasabi kasi natin St. Therese eh, feast of St. Therese itong araw na 'to, that is one of the patron saints of the military, so parang humihingi tayo ng kuwan, siguro blessings na para matapos na kaagad ito," Brawner said.

"Tapos sabi ni [Major] General [Danilo] Pamonag kanina, ito rin marks the 4th anniversary of the liberation of Zamboanga," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under military rule after Maute group attacked Marawi City on May 23.

A total of 749 members of the Maute group have been killed by government troops since the start of the conflict, while 155 security forces of the country have been killed in action. —Anna Felicia Bajo/ALG, GMA News