AFP chief Año: Enemies in Marawi already small, no longer constitute serious threat

Armed Forces chief General Eduardo Año said Tuesday the remaining number of Maute fighters in war-torn Marawi City is now small and no longer constitutes serious threat.

Año said the presence of enemies in Marawi is now considered a law enforcement matter.

“Marawi City has been declared liberated. The small number of the remaining enemy can now be considered a law enforcement matter and does not constitute serious threat to hinder the succeeding phases of national government programs,” he said in a statement after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that the city is now free from the terror group.

The military chief said they are now trying to get the remaining Maute members as the government starts damage assessment to commence the rehabilitation of the city.

“What remains now is mopping up operations against Maute-ISIS stragglers in a small area. We can now begin the next phase which is damage assessment which is part already of rehabilitation and reconstruction,” he said.

Government troops killed early Monday morning Marawi siege leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute.

In a separate statement, military spokesperson Major General Restituto Padilla said the President knows that the remaining enemy force in Marawi is no longer a force to reckon with when he made the statement.

Padilla said major operations have been concluded and clearing operations are already underway to finish the enemies off should they decide to continue the fight.

He said the declaration was made to pave the way for the start of a full blown recovery, rehabilitation and rebuilding effort.

“The President thanked all our troops for their sacrifice, dedication, and gallantry. He also committed government's assistance to all evacuees and families affected by the conflict. We call on every sector and our citizenry to help and support the bigger task of rebuilding,” he said.

He said there are around 30 stragglers in the area which are holding 22 more hostages.

He said the Maute members can no longer get out “so choking them to death will be very easy for our troops since the area is very much contained and controlled.”

However, he said, it does not mean that the entry for bulldozers and rebuilding of materials will start now.

“There is still an assessment that needs to be made and the assessment team will have to do their work first before any rebuilding starts that’s why we have to open the way and pave the way for this assessment teams to see, check, and assess the damage and the need for whatever reconstruction effort there will be after all the fighters were seized,” he said.

Colonel Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs office chief, said the sporadic firefight will stop only when the troops have rescued the remaining hostages and they have neutralized the remaining terrorists.

As of October 17, a total of 847 Maute members, 163 government troops, and 47 civilians have been killed, data from the military showed.

In addition, 1,770 civilians have been rescued while 846 firearms have been recovered. — RSJ, GMA News