THE military said Sunday there were no Maute stragglers remaining in the devastated city of Marawi and that it was aiming at finishing clearing operations there by April 2018.
Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Task Force Ranao deputy commander, said government troops had recovered 77 firearms since the termination of combat operations in Marawi on Oct 23.
“Maute mukhang wala na, ‘yun na lang bomba,” Brawner said.
“Galing ako sa Task Force Bangon Marawi at ang parang timeline nila by April 2018 dapat tapos na lahat yung clearing ng military ng bombs…Pero depende kasi…hindi mo masabi kung ilang bomba eh.”
On Nov. 16, Brawner said government troops had not encountered any Maute stragglers.
He said they had yet to clear 24 villages inside the main battle area, and that the residents there could only return home once the clearing operations were terminated.
“Kasi very deliberate ang pag-kwan natin, mahirap kasi yung sabihin nating clear na tapos babalik yung residente, magre-retrieve ng mga gamit tapos masasabugan sila, mas delikado ‘yun, o kaya papasok yung demolition teams, yung mga developer, tapos pag-ganun nila ng heavy equipment, masasabugan pa,” Brawner said.
Early this month, at least nine Maute stragglers, including a cousin of the Maute brothers, were killed in an operation by government troops near the building where Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute were killed last month.
President Rodrigo Duterte declared the liberation of Marawi on Oct. 17, a day after the killing of terror group leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute.
As of Oct. 17, 847 Maute members, 163 government troops and 47 civilians had been killed. A total of 1,770 civilians had been rescued while 846 firearms had been recovered.
