17 Maute group hostages rescued in Marawi —Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday said 17 civilians held captive by the Maute group in Marawi City have been rescued by government troops.

Lorenzana said the rescued hostages include nine males and eight females, with ages ranging from 18 to 75.

The Defense chief declined to divulge "confidential" details of the rescue, citing ongoing efforts to rescue more hostages in the war-torn city.

Colonel Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief, said with the rescue of the 17, the Maute is now holding only 26 hostages.

He said they initially did not want to announce the rescue of the hostages as it might affect the ongoing operations and other hostages.

“I hope you will also understand na itong mga ganitong impormasyon kaya natin mina-manage is because ayaw natin hangga’t maari na malalaman ng mga kalaban ang mga ganito, they might just do drastic actions against other hostages,” Arevalo said in a press briefing.

“Nagiging, sa paningin ng iba, maingat tayo, masyado tayong maingat sa ating ginagawa, ito po ang isa sa mga mabibigat na dahilan, we have to take into account that any false move, that any imprudent action on the part of our troops may not just result into casualty among us but also among the hostages,” he said.

He just said the rescue was a result of the troops’ carefully planned operation.

“This indicates ang ating pagpupunyagi, ang ating pagtitiyaga, and the patience na ginagawa natin in our conduct of operations ay nagbubunga ng positibo sapagkat nadaragdagan ang ating mga nare-rescue,” he said.

He said aside from neutralization of enemies, the AFP is also working for the rescue of hostages who were being used by the Maute to fight government troops.

“Kasinghalaga ng kagustuhan natin na matapos natin ang problema, maneutralize natin ang ating mga kalaban , ganun din kasidhi ang ating hangarin na mailigtas natin ang mga hostages sapagkat alam natin ang kanilang nagiging sitwasyon lalong lalo na ‘yung napipilitan at pinipilit na lumaban sa ating mga kawal,” he said.

He said the hostages are now undergoing medical checkup.

Arevalo added the operation in Marawi is continuing and that there are only seven to five hectares they need to clear.

“We are incessant, unceasing in the conduct of operations so konting panahon na lamang ang hinihingi natin. Masasabi natin na based on information from the ground only around five to seven hectares na lamang, maliit na ito hindi na ito ganun kalaki,” he said.

He added there were only 40 terrorists in the area, including hostages “converted” by the Maute into the group’s fighters.

“Around 40 local terrorists ang ating tinitignan na nandoon. We include doon sa number na ‘yun potentially ‘yung mga dating hostages na na-convert nila by force na maging fighter din and around 43 hostages,” he said.

He said as of October 4, a total of 753 Maute members and 155 government troops have been killed. — ALG/RSJ, GMA News