(Eagle News) – Around 100 Islamic State-inspired militants have been spotted in Buldon, Maguindanao.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front confirmed this in an online news report, after President Rodrigo Duterte warned of a possible spillover of the armed conflict in Marawi to that area.
Duterte made the revelation after he said he was mulling lifting martial law across Mindanao earlier, but preferred to adopt a “let’s see” attitude because of the development instead.
“If it is to the interest of the country that I will lift (martial law), I will lift it. But if not, then we’ll just have to continue with the martial law,” he said at the 11th founding anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command.
The MILF said in the news report that it was unclear if the militants spotted in Buldon would serve as reinforcements for the Maute group in Marawi.
Government troops are closing in on the Maute members, who overran parts of Marawi in a reported bid to establish a caliphate in May.
President Duterte imposed martial law afterwards.
Congress extended martial law across Mindanao until 9.