(Eagle News) –President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday declared war-torn Marawi city liberated.
The President made the declaration in his visit to the city a day after military troops killed terrorist leaders Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon in the main battle area, and almost five months after the terrorists overran the city.
Asked why the declaration was made even when there were around 30 Maute fighters, including known terrorist leader Dr. Mahmud Ahmad, left in the city, Col. Romeo Brawner, Joint Task Group Ranao deputy commander, said the President’s statement was a “strategic statement.”
“It’s a message you want to tell the world na tapos na itong problema ng Maute ISIS. They cannot be victorious anymore…It’s a declaration na nakuha na natin leaders ng Maute ISIS and we can move on with rehabilitation,” Brawner said, noting that Hapilon and Maute were the “centers of gravity” of the group while Ahmad was “not as strong” as them.
He noted the military would get Ahmad “very soon.”
Operations to continue
According to Brawner, operations to rescue remaining hostages and operations to ensure there were no other stragglers nor improvised explosive devices in the city would continue after the declaration.
“We will start the clustering of barangays. Barangay officials will come in kasama ang local government in the rehabilitation of Marawi…,” he added.
In fact, he said damage assessment teams already entered cleared areas on Monday.
He said teams from the Department of Health would also enter the city to “sanitize” the area after the recovery of bodies.
“Please be patient. Gagawin natin ang trabaho natin, iclear ang area,” Brawner said.
“We have already neutralized their leaders and we believe it will just be a matter of days bago matapos talaga itong bakbakan mismo. Humina na Maute Isis because of the loss of their leaders. We believe tuloy tuloy pa ito,” Brawner added.
“Babangon ang Marawi”
In a television interview, Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra thanked the President, the military and all those he said were instrumental in the liberation of the city.
“Mixed reactions dahil talagang malaki pinsala pero with the pronouncement of the President, tayo ay umaasa na babangon ang Marawi,” he said.
Local terrorists led by Maute and Hapilon overran Marawi in May.