Only Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon are alive — AFP chief

Only Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon are left leading the Maute members at the main battle area in Marawi City, Armed Forces chief General Eduardo Año said Monday.

Año said  the other Maute brothers — Abdullah, Madi, Otto — are already dead, according the their sources.

"Based sa custodial debriefing ng three arrested at nag-surrender na Maute members at intelligence information, si Omar na lang ang buhay. Si Abdullah, Madi, at Otto ay patay na lahat," he said during a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo where rescued priest Father Teresito "Chito" Soganub was presented.

"We have sources inside, hindi na lumalabas ang pangalan nila except Omar. There are two main groups, one is led by Hapilon, ito yung mga galing pa ng Basilan, at itong kay Omar," he added.

He said it was the group of Omar who held Soganub.

"Ang grupo ni Omar Maute ang may hawak. Sila ang nakadeploy dito sa Bato Mosque before we assaulted the mosque Saturday," he said.

Año said government troops will make sure that Hapilon will not be able to leave Marawi alive.

"We don't want Isnilon to leave Marawi alive," he said.

Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf commander, is said to be the emir of international terror group ISIS in Southeast Asia.

Foreign terrorists

Año said there are between 45-50 remaining hostages being held by the ISIS-Maute group.

He added that at least 10 foreign terrorists are with Maute.

"Yes meron pa rin doon, about 10 foreign fighters ... mostly Indonesians and Malaysians," he said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Maute group is now occupying only 10 hectares of Marawi.

"We are slowly constricting their area, lumiliit na ‘yung area nila kasi meron pa tayong ibang hostages na kailangang i-rescue sa loob. Alinsunod sa utos ni Presidente na we do it quietly in order not to endanger unnecessarily the lives of the hostages," he said.

"Pero malapit na, sabi ng tropa sa ground, malapit na nating matapos. Ten hectares na lang ang ating kini-clear, maliit na lang, about 1/4 of this camp," he added. — RSJ, GMA News