Abdullah Maute dead?

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The military has received reports that Maute group leader Abdullah Maute was killed in a recent airstrike in Marawi.

“There are persistent reports that Abdullah of the Maute group was killed in the strike,” Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, Western Mindanao Command spokesperson, told reporters yesterday.

Petinglay said Westmincom chief Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez revealed the reports during a briefing on the ground operations.  

Petinglay also cited a video posted on the website of the Maute group paying tribute to Abdullah.

She said they could not confirm the reports in the absence of evidence, such as the remains of the terrorist.

“General Galvez said there must be a confirmation through DNA… to ascertain the reports,” Petinglay said.

The military said soldiers are in a ”final push” to neutralize the terrorists and liberate Marawi.

Galvez said the operation area is now limited to 20 hectares.

However, Galvez said it might still take a month to finish the operations because the troops are considering the safe recovery of the remaining hostages of the militants.

The Maute terrorists are believed to be holding around 30 hostages, including Catholic priest Teresito “Chito” Suganob.

 The fighting has left 639 Maute members, 145 soldiers and 45 civilians dead.

Return to battle

 As this developed, soldiers who have recovered from the injuries they sustained from the fighting in Marawi have returned to the battlefield.

At least 11 soldiers, who were recently discharged from the Philippine Army General Hospital at Fort Bonifacio, flew back to Marawi yesterday, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ray Tiongson said.

Tiongson said they are grateful for the free tickets given by Cebu Pacific (CEB) to support soldiers who decided to return to their respective units after rec overing from their injuries. “It is meaningful… to make your soldiers feel that their sacrifices are being recognized and appreciated,” he said.

The military said many of the wounded soldiers are determined to go back to the battlefield.

Tiongson said soldiers who are fit to take commercial flights could be flown via CEB flights from Cagayan de Oro or Manila and to any of its 37 domestic destinations. 

CEB has also  been granting a baggage allowance of 40 kilograms each to soldiers and policemen deployed in  Mindanao provided they can show valid mission orders and identification cards. – With Michael Punongbayan, Rudy Santos, Evelyn Macairan