(Eagle News) — Soldiers and police personnel have retaken the Marawi police station three months after it was seized by Islamist extremists led by the so-called Maute group in Marawi City when they first attacked the city on May 23.
PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said he was “happy” with this development as he announced the good news during his speech at the 116th PNP Day celebration at Camp Kangleon in Palo, Leyte, headquarters of the police regional office-8 on Tuesday, August 22.
“I just received a call from Task Force Marawi, informing me that they have just retaken the Marawi City Police Station,” he said. “I am so happy… Gusto kong maiyak sa tuwa,” Dela Rosa said.
“Yung police station natin is our source of pride and identity, at kapag yan ay naagaw ng kalaban para na ring tayo naagawan ng identity,” he said.
The PNP chief said that the remains of the “skeletal remains of the deputy police chief of Marawi and the police investigator who were murdered by the ISIS inside the police station” were also recovered by government forces. Marawi City’s deputy police chief is Senior Insp. Edwin Placido who was killed defending the police station from the ISIS-inspired Maute terrorists.
The government operation tasked to regain control of the Marawi City police station is composed of the Scout Rangers’ Task Group Musang, the Philippine Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion, and the PNP’s Special Action Force.
“I congratulate everyone for the hard work,” Dela Rosa said.
