MANILA, Philippines – Why have members of the Maute Group in Marawi City become a formidable opponent of government forces?
It’s because they have friends, relatives, and supporters, who allegedly include private armed groups of narco-politicians in Lanao del Sur and ISIS foreign fighters said to be providing resources to Maute and Isnilon Hapilon, the country’s most wanted terror leader and is said to be the Islamic State’s emir in Southeast Asia.
This was according to the heads of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), who on Friday, during a press conference in Davao City, disclosed how and why Maute members and Hapilon had continued to survive from government offensives, three days since President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao.
Clashes between government forces and the Maute group and their supporters since last Tuesday have resulted in the death of 44 people — 31 from Maute, including six individuals believed to be foreigners, and 13 from the government side composed of 11 soldiers and two policemen.
“I think they have sympathizers, relatives, and friends,” said AFP chief and martial law implementor Eduardo Año, adding that government troops were still pursuing less than 100 Maute members, including Hapilon, whose health condition “has deteriorated” after he was seriously wounded during a military airstrike in Butig, Lanao del Sur last January.
“Sa ngayon may presence pa rin ng armed group around Marawi City at we learned that aside from Maute, may private armed group na naki-sympathize [The armed group still has presence now around Marawi City and we learned that aside from maute, there are also private armed group sympathizers],” said Año.
The AFP chief said the government “is in control” of the Lanao del Sur capital but Marawi “is not (yet) cleared” of Maute members.
“We have enough troops, kailangan pa ng additional enforcement para mas mabilis ang pagclear [we need additional enforcement for the clearing to become faster,” said Año.
DND chief Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that government troops were surprised when they attacked a Marawi hideout for Hapilon earlier this week and found out that the terror leader was being shielded by many weapon-carrying neighbors and private armed groups, whom he said were believed to be the armed goons of local politicians, and some ISIS warriors.
“What happened to Marawi, (was a) tipping point. It’s rebellion. Isis people, sumali na ‘yong mga armed goons ng narco-politicians,” said Lorenzana.
“Nagulat ‘yong tropa natin. No’ng gusto nilang hulihin si Hapilon, no’ng lapitan, lumaban. ‘Yo’ng mga bahay bahay sa paligid may mga armado rin pala. Kaya dumami na,” the DND chief said.
“So we believe, ‘yong mga private armed group, sumali na sila,” he added.
Last Wednesday, a day after he declared martial law in Mindanao, Duterte hinted that some Lanao del Sur politicians might have a hand in Maute’s terror attack in Marawi.
“I will say that I am not surprised when Lanao del Sur is also maybe in cahoots or cooperating,” the President said.
Lorenza on Friday said it was possible that the Islamic State had sent some of its representatives in the country and transferred huge funds to Hapilon so the ISIS would be able to establish an Islamic State province in Southern Philippines.
“I think they sent here a couple of foreigners. They transferred funds to Hapilon, million dollars. He’s (Hapilon) trying to prove his worth, raise the flag and put it in social media that they already have an area here in Mindanao.”
On Friday, both Lorenza and Solicitor General Jose Calida confirmed that Hapilon was the ISIS-designated leader in the Philippines.
