AFP to follow Duterte's assertion of ISIS presence in PHL

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday said it will follow the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte saying that ISIS has a presence in the country.

"Our commander in chief has already made a pronouncement na ito po ay grupo na ng ISIS, so we are making adjustment accordingly sapagkat our President and commander-in-chief has access to other information that initially the AFP might not have," Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs office chief, said in an interview on Unang Balita.

"It's already the commander-in-chief na nagsabi, so we subscribe to that pronouncement," Arevalo added.

Government troops walk the streets of Marawi City, which was attacked by armed members of an allegedly "ISIS-inspired" group on Tuesday, May 23, 2017. President Duterte has placed the entire Mindanao under martial law following the attack. Merlyn Manos

The AFP and Philippine National Police earlier insisted that there is no presence of ISIS in the country, saying that the terror group which the government troops encountered in Marawi City is just using the incident to get recognition from ISIS.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday admitted the presence of ISIS despite the denials from PNP and AFP.

In a statement posted on its Twitter account, the DFA said the Philippine government is "fully aware that the Maute Group / ISIS groups have the capability (although limited) to disturb the peace..."

Duterte has placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law for 60 days following the clashes in Marawi City between the government troops and local terrorist Maute group.

On Wednesday, he said the arrival of ISIS in the country and open defiance of lawless armed groups in Marawi City prompted his declaration of martial law in Mindanao. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG, GMA News