Troops aiming to clear 500 buildings in Marawi

MANILA, Philippines -  Government security forces deployed in the battle for Marawi City are targeting to clear 500 more buildings still occupied by the remaining Maute-Islamic State terrorists, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) we were able to clear seven more buildings,” AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

Padilla also reported the troops recovered a kilo of shabu from one of the buildings previously occupied by the extremists.

According to Padilla, the troops are fighting an estimated 50 remaining gunmen, mostly snipers, who are hiding in the remaining buildings and structures in the city.

With government forces right inside the main battle area, operations are being done methodically so as to avoid unnecessary combat casualties.

“The recovery of shabu only showed that the terrorists are using shabu to keep them awake and alert at night,” Padilla said.

As of Tuesday, the AFP reported that 460 terrorists, 111 soldiers and 45 civilians have been killed in more than two months of fighting. 

The continuing ground assault has also resulted in the clearing of 17 buildings in the main battle area, including seven cleared by the troops on Tuesday.

“Once our soldiers enter a building, they don’t know what is inside and they have to be careful and always on alert to avoid bomb traps left by the terrorists,” Padilla said.

The Maute gunmen are confined in three areas in the city’s business district as the troops overwhelmed their first line of defense near Mapandi Bridge last week.

Officials appealed to residents not to go back since the fighting is not yet over.

“We are appealing to those who are instigating the return of civilian evacuees not to put the lives of the evacuees in danger,” Padilla said.

Padilla stressed that evacuees should wait until the military declares that Marawi has been cleared.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, on the other hand, has called for the creation of an ad hoc committee to oversee the rehabilitation of Marawi.

In filing Senate Resolution 428, Ejercito noted the gravity of the destruction brought about by the fighting in Marawi.

“There is a need for the creation of an ad hoc committee which shall exercise jurisdiction over all matters directly and principally relating to the construction and rehabilitation of Marawi City and other affected areas.”

Ejercito said the battle has forced some 389,300 residents to flee their homes and seek temporary shelter in evacuation centers in nearby provinces.

“The continued crisis has left the city with ravaged and shattered buildings, houses, public infrastructure and utilities,” he said.

Sen. Loren Legarda, for her part, has initiated a review of the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation plans of Task Force Bangon Marawi recently created by President Duterte.

“We must restore hope, dignity and peace in Marawi City and other affected areas. Much more needs to be done to provide basic necessities to families affected by the crisis. We must ensure that in addition to immediate aid, they also have access to emergency employment and livelihood assistance even as the conflict continues,” Legarda said.

Citing the latest report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Legarda said the number of evacuees has reached 351,168.

Legarda also noted the lack of sanitation and drinking water in the overcrowded evacuation centers, which has led to a significant increase in water-borne diseases and upper respiratory tract infections.

She also stressed shelter assistance is a critical concern, given the high probability of long-term displacement of affected residents.

“Rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Marawi and neighboring areas should include in its coverage not only public infrastructure but also private buildings and residences that have been destroyed in the fighting, taking into account the value of preserving local heritage, culture and religion,” Legarda said. –  With Marvin Sy, Mayen Jaymalin