(Eagle News) – A Catholic priest who was taken hostage by the ISIS-inspired Maute rebels at the start of the Marawi siege was among the hostages rescued by government troops on Saturday night, September 16, according to a facebook post of presidential peace adviser Jesus “Jess” Dureza.
In his post, Dureza said he got the information that the priest Chito Suganob was with another hostage rescued by the government troops near Bato mosque at “162300hsept2017.”
The Bato mosque was the “second grand mosque in Marawi that has been taken over by our government troops.”
The government forces were also able to retake another Maute stronghold, the Amaitul Islamiya Marawi Foundation (JIMF) building in Marawi City on Saturday night.
The two key Maute posts were retaken after a five-hour fierce gunfight between government troops and the Islamist terrorists on Saturday night, September 16.
Dureza said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Malacanang would have more information on this, as he advised the public to “wait for the official announcement” so as “not to jeopardize the ongoing mil(itary) operations.”
The other hostage who also escaped from the Islamist terrorists was reportedly a teacher from Dansalan College.
The Philippine military said Sunday it had already captured the command center of Islamic State group supporters who have besieged Marawi City on May 23, or nearly four months ago.
Security forces have engaged in ferocious street to street combat and launched airstrikes in their efforts to expel the fighters from the city of Marawi, in a conflict that has raised fears that IS is looking to establish a
Southeast Asian base in the Philippines.
The military said it had captured the militants’ control center in a deadly battle that began Saturday in a mosque and another building.
“This enormous (military) gain further weakened the terrorist group by denying them their erstwhile command and control hub,” military chief General Eduardo Ano said in a statement.
“As follow up and clearing operations continue, we expect the enemy to yield more previously occupied positions, but not without a fight,” he said. “We are ready for that.”
More than 800 militants, government troops and civilians have since been killed in the conflict, which has forced thousands to flee their homes and destroyed large parts of the once-bustling city.
(with a report from Agence France Presse)