No need for another extension in fight to free Marawi —Brawner

Security forces fighting to liberate Marawi City from the ISIS-inspired Maute terrorists are not seeking another extension of the drawn-out war that has been raging for over four months, a military official said Saturday.

The military has expressed confidence that the fighting in Marawi will end earlier or before the October 15 extended deadline.

"Tuloy-tuloy pa rin yung ating taktika na ginagamit, pero we will try our best na matapos na agad ito kaya nagpa-meeting po ang mga bagong leaders natin. Mayroon tayong renewed efforts na tapusin ito nang mas maaga," Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Group Ranao, told dzBB's Benjie Liwanag in Marawi City. 

Brawner also said the military is determined to take down the terrorist group so that full government rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts in the war-ravaged city could commence soonest.

"Tuloy-tuloy ang paglusob sa defensive positions ng Maute-ISIS dahil pilit nating tinatapos nang maaga ang bakbakan," Brawner added.

Earlier on Saturday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Major General Resituto Padilla Jr said that the terrorist group is still holding 40 or more hostages, and that the number of holdover enemy forces, including the ISIS-anointed Isnilon Hapilon and a Maute group leader, is still between 40 to 50.    

In the military's "final push" to rout the enemy, a sniper bullet cut down a soldier last Friday, bringing to 156 the number of security forces who have died in Marawi war zone. 

On the other hand, the confirmed number of fatalities from the enemy's side was at 759 as of Friday. Meanwhile, a total of 47 civilians have been reported killed and 1,750 have been rescued so far.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had said that the Marawi crisis might be over by the end of September. But Maute forces were still putting on fierce resistance with their improvised explosive devices, and hostages as human shields.

The military then asked for a 15-day deadline. This Saturday, the 7th day of the new deadline, Col. Brawner said they won't ask for another extension. —LBG, GMA News