The spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has conceded government troops will not be able to liberate Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, in time for President Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 24 due to various complexities in ground zero.
In a recent news briefing, AFP Spokesman Restituto F. Padilla Jr. said as much as security forces wanted to seal the victory in Marawi City, there are difficulties hindering them from doing so. He said there are around 600 buildings that still need clearing and about 80 Islamist militants that need flushing out, leaving the military no choice but to admit Marawi City will not be freed from the clutches of extremist threats before Duterte’s Sona.
“We are right into the [target of the] 10 days to 15 days of the President. But the 10 days to 15 days is beyond the Sona, by the way, so don’t expect [the liberation of Marawi City] to be before the Sona,” Padilla said last Friday.
“Actually, all of us intend to get this conflict finished. If I were to be asked, this should be done today or tomorrow,” Padilla added.
Padilla said government troops are accelerating operations just to complete the job of regaining the whole of Marawi City the soonest possible time.
“They really want to finish this fight as soon as possible and that’s why they are all determined to hold on to the territory that was held already by our troops. They do not want to retreat even if there’s a need to,” the military’s spokesman said.
Defense Secretary Delfin S. Lorenzana earlier said the military is keen on clearing Marawi City of Islamist militants before Duterte delivers his second Sona on July 24. “I hope it gets done, and that is one of the things that I have asked the commanders on the ground that if they could terminate the conflict there before the President delivers his Sona,” Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana added he expects the conflict to cease before the day of the Sona so as to appease Duterte during his speech. He said it is unpleasant for the Chief Executive to deliver his report to the nation while a number of his constituents are fighting over in southern Philippines.
Recent developments in ground zero saw security forces capturing Dansalan College in southwest of Marawi City, which was a strategic position previously held by the Maute Group. The school, situated above hills, provides a clear vision of the conflict zone, tactical for sniper positions.
The conflict in Marawi City is nearing to breach the two-month mark, leaving 532 dead, a quarter of which were soldiers killed in action and civilians killed by terrorists. Martial-law administrators are set to submit a recommendation to Duterte on whether to extend military rule in Mindanao, which is scheduled to expire on July 22.
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