Priest seized by Maute seen alive — military

LANAO DEL SUR – A Catholic priest kidnapped by Islamist militants in Marawi City was seen alive by civilians rescued from the battle zone, the military said as air strikes resumed yesterday against the Maute terrorist group.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., head of the Western Mindanao Command, said they were validating reports that Fr. Chito Suganob is still being held by the terrorists, along with the other hostages.

Suganob and more than a dozen parishioners were seized by members of the Maute group who forced their way into the St. Mary’s Church on May 23 after launching attacks against government forces pursuing Islamic State (IS)-inspired Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.

“We got information from civilians rescued on Sunday from conflict-affected barangays that Fr. Chito is still alive but still in the hands of the terrorists,” Galvez told The STAR.

A video of Suganon circulated on Facebook asking President Duterte to stop the air strikes against the terrorists. But the military said the video was a mere propaganda by the militants.

The sighting of Suganob by rescued civilians came amid Sunday’s eight-hour ceasefire to allow residents to mark the end of Ramadan.

Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, spokesman for the military forces in Marawi, said the priest was seen alive on Sunday in a part of the city.

“We don’t have details of his health. We were just told that he was sighted alive,” Herrera told reporters.

He said around 100 civilian hostages are still in the hands of the gunmen, being used as human shields, ammunition carriers and stretcher-bearers.

Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director, said intelligence operatives tapped the municipal peace and order councils in 39 towns in Lanao del Sur to help validate reports that the priest is still alive.

Fighting resumes

The battle for Marawi resumed with renewed fury yesterday, with government fighter jets and other aircraft seen carrying out bombing attacks.

Air and artillery bombardment of enclaves occupied by the militants in Marawi City resumed after an eight-hour ceasefire on Sunday.

Herrera said the militants were burning houses and using improvised bombs, booby traps and hostages as human shields to delay the troops’ advance, five weeks into the fighting. – With AFP