Gov’t forces ‘doing everything’ to end Marawi crisis by Sunday

Government forces are doing everything to put an end to the ongoing firefight in Marawi City by Sunday.

“Tatapusin na. Pipilitin ng mga tropa natin na tapusin ngayong araw na ito,” Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task force Ranao said in a press briefing in Marawi City.

Brawner said government troops would have to storm the single building where the remaining members of Maute group are holed up in if they do not surrender.

“They will do everything so our government forces will try to do everything to finish the firefight today,” he said.

“It means it’s either mapatay nila lahat ng mga Maute-ISIS, kasi nga po talagang ito na yung mga desidido na mamatay sa loob. It’s either that or ma-capture natin or either mag-surrender sila,” he added.

Western Mindanao Command Lieutenant General Ernesto Galvez Jr. earlier said that government forces will try to put an end to the ongoing clashes by Sunday, October 22.

As of October 22, 2017, a total of 919 Maute members were killed while 864 firearms were recovered from them.

Meanwhile, government troops have rescued 1,780 hostages while the number of soldiers and police killed in action is still at 165.

President Rodrigo Duterte on October 17 declared the liberation of Marawi City from terrorist influence after the deaths of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/BM, GMA News