(Eagle News)– Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader and self-proclaimed ’emir’ of the Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia Isnilon Hapilon is still inside Marawi City.
This is according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who spoke during the Mindanao Hour briefing at Malacañang on Monday.
“According to our latest info is he is still inside Marawi. In fact, there is information that we got this morning, he is hiding inside one of the mosques in Marawi,” Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana added the latest information could be correct since military intelligence deployed in Basilan have not seen Hapilon with monitored militants in the area.
“There were three fighters who arrived in Basilan, but Isnilon is not one of them. We believe he is still in Marawi,” he said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines had earlier said it was verifying information that Hapilon had already escaped out of Marawi.
Hapilon has a bounty of $5 million posted by the United States and P10 million from President Rodrigo Duterte.
The government tried to serve a warrant on Hapilon on May 23 in Marawi City, but the soldiers were met with gunfire from the Maute group.
The attack prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place Mindanao under martial law.
