Military to observe ‘humanitarian’ ceasefire for Eid’l Fitr —TF Marawi

The military will be temporarily ceasing its offensives against ISIS-inspired Maute group for eight hours on Sunday to allow Muslims in Marawi City to peacefully observe the religious feast of Eid'l Fitr.

Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, spokesperson of the Joint Task Force Marawi, said the "humanitarian pause" will start at 6 a.m. and will run for eight hours, until 2 p.m.

During the ceasefire, the military would be refraining from conducting airstrikes and firing its arsenal.

Eid'l Fitr marks the culmination of the 30-day, dawn-to-dusk fasting  and prayers during the month-long Ramadan.

Earlier in the day, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. had told radio dzBB that intensified offensives against the Maute group despite the Islam feast.

Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., said in a statement that Eid'l Fit'r will be observed in Marawi City on Sunday.

"To give reverence to the supposed peaceful, joyous and festive spiritual celebration, the AFP upon the approval of the AFP [chief of staff] declares a stop in our current operations in the city on that day to  serve as a gesture of our strong commitment and respect to the Muslim world particularly to the local Muslims of Marawi City," Galvez said.

He, however, said that the ceasefire will be immediately lifted if: 

1. our troops' security is jeopardized,
2. safety of civilians is threatened, and
3. if the enemy starts firing and at which point anyone can exercise their right to self-defense

—with a report from Allan Gatus/MDM/ALG, GMA News