AFP: Maute terrorists holding female hostages as sex slaves

Female hostages of the Maute group in Marawi City are being forced into sex slavery and marriage with some of the terrorist fighters, the military said on Tuesday.

“The worst thing is there are cases of female hostages forced to marry the Maute local terrorist group so they are being forced for sex slave, or forced to destroy the dignity of these women,” Joint Task Force Marawi spokesperson Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera said in a televised press briefing.

Government troops have also rescued seven hostages on Monday.

While in captivity, the hostages were tasked to loot houses and establishments for ammunition, firearms, gold, cash, and jewelries, Herrera said.

“Hostages were issued firearms, pinipilit nila ‘yung mga hostages to bring firearms so fino-force nila to fight government security forces,” he said.

“Pinipilit din nila that the hostages were forced to ‘balik-Islam,’ or revert to Islam, and also tasked to bring wounded terrorists to mosques,” he added.

The hostages, who were rescued after being held for about three weeks, have also claimed to have seen vicar general of the prelature of Marawi Fr. Chito Suganob alive.

Terrorists have offered to free Suganob in exchange for the parents of the Maute brothers, who have been arrested by authorities in separate occasions early this month. The government, however, rejected the offer, saying that they don’t negotiate with terrorists. JE