President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday raised the need to beef up the country’s military assets to completely eliminate extremist threats as security forces continue to fight off terrorists in Mindanao.
In his speech before newly promoted police generals, Duterte said that he has been “quarelling” with members of the Cabinet to provide him money to revitalize security forces.
“We’re lacking and I’ve been quarrelling with everybody in the Cabinet because I told them that I’ll slash up their funds, because I [need] to have the money. I need 20,000 Army troops and mga seven battalions of [Special Action Forces,]” the President said.
Duterte admitted that with the coming of Islamic State inspired forces, “drugs coming in from anywhere and everywhere.”
“I don’t know if they will survive for another day of fighting. So we have to improve on our assets,” the President said.
Among those he needed to procure, Duterte said, were fast boats (“to pursue the pirates and terrorists”), twelve more additional FA-50 jets to have a “credible Air Force” and “powerful precision-guided missiles.”
The ongoing fighting in Marawi City has already reached its 100th day, with the martial law proclamation still in effect.
Meanwhile, government forces said they are wrapping up the fight against Islamic State-inspired terrorists now reeling from the intense air strikes and massive ground assault even as the military foresees the ending of the Marawi City episode which entered its 100th day on Wednesday.
Task Force Ranao deputy commander Col. Romeo Brawner, quoting military commanders, said that the terrorists are running of food and ammunition as ground troops face lesser resistance from the terrorists.
“There are many indicators that fighting is nearing its end. First of all, the areas where the Maute are operating is dwindling and we believe that they are already running out of ammunition and food,” Brawner said.
“(That is why) we believe that hopefully within the next few weeks the Marawi siege will end,” Brawner added.
Latest report from the AFP Western Mndanao Command (WestMinCom) said that a total of 617 Maute terrorists have so far been killed as of 7 p.m. Tuesday, while the number of firearms recovered (both high and low powered) meanwhile, has already reached 667.
“So far the number of their fighters dwindle as everyday we inflict fatalities on them),” he said.
Brawner also believes that the Maute brothers Omar and Abdullah, and Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, are still inside the main battle area.
“Well, we believe that the leaders of the Maute terrorist group including Isnilon Hapilon are still inside and we are making sure that they won’t get out from the main battle area,” Brawner said.
Brawner added that with regards to the hostages, they believe that they are still alive and are making sure”that we will spare the lives of the hostages”.
When asked to comment about reports that the Maute group is reportedly was offering up to P50, 000 to get boats from fishermen, Brawner said that they were able to get the cooperation of mayors around Ranao lake to make sure that no boats will be used to send reinforcements around the lake going inside the main battle area.
