Military: Marawi Vice Mayor Salic arrested over rebellion raps

Marawi city Vice Mayor Arafat Salic was arrested Wednesday morning by joint military and police forces due to rebellion charges, one year and six months since a warrant of arrest against him was issued.

Army 103rd Infantry Brigade commander Colonel Romeo Brawner confirmed Salic's arrest, saying that the local official underwent custodial debriefing and medical checkup and will be turned-over to police authorities for proper disposition.

“Salic is included in the [list] of the Office of the Martial Law Administrator [with an] Arrest Order dated September 4, 2017 for rebellion,” Brawner said in a statement.

Brawner said Salic was around 10 a.m. at Marawi City Hall.  

Brigadier General Roberto Ancan, who serves as commander of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, lauded the efforts of 103rd Brigade, 82nd Infantry Battalion and Marawi City PNP for the successful implementation of arrest order against Salic.

“The 1st Infantry Division supports the commander-in-chief’s declaration of martial law. We will perform our duties in accordance with the law, respecting the rights of every individual and their properties,” Ancan said.

“We take pride of the overwhelming support of the constituents and stakeholders in our area of responsibility as we perform our mandate to serve the people,” Ancan added.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law in May 2017 after government authorities were overwhelmed by the forces of terrorist organization Maute group and their supporters while trying to serve an arrest warrant against Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.

The Maute group then wrecked havoc in the Islamic City of Marawi for five months, taking hostages, destroying communities, killing non-Muslims and battling government troops with relentless sniper fire.

The Marawi siege killed over a hundred people and left at least P53 billion worth of damages.

Since the President declared martial law in Mindanao in May 2017, Congress has extended it three times: by six months in July 2017, by one year in December 2017 and by another year in December 2018 based on the President's argument that rebellion is still ongoing in Mindanao.

The 1987 Constitution allows the President to declare martial law in case of rebellion, invasion or when public safety requires it. — RSJ, GMA News