In this May 30, 2017 screenshot of a video circulated on the Internet, Fr. Teresito Suganob makes an appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to stop military operations in Marawi. (Photo from a video circulating on Facebook)
MARAWI CITY – The Catholic priest being held captive by Islamic State-inspired terrorists here is still alive.
In fact, he is being made to cook for his captors.
Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesperson of the Task Force Marawi, said based on the accounts of a hostage who managed to escape, Fr. Teresito “Chito” Suganob, vicar general of Marawi City, was still alive “three days ago.”
Suganob and a number of hostages were seized from the cathedral when fighting erupted on May 23.
“He is alive. He is being used as cook for the militants and hostages,” Herrera said.
Suganob and a number of hostages were seized from the cathedral when fighting erupted on May 23.
“He is alive. He is being used as cook for the militants and hostages,” Herrera said.
He said the priest was last seen “three days ago.”
This as government security forces claimed it has cleared 40 buildings occupied by the terrorists.
“It shows that we have moved forward in closing in on our enemies. But our clearing combat operations still continue,” Herrera said.
“We have recovered also war materiel and weapons left behind by the enemies,” he added.
Herrera said the military would “come to point wherein we will not use anymore airstrikes if we will be in close range battle.”
“The only purpose in using the airstrikes is to soften the strong defensive position of the enemies,” he said
Herrera also said a rescued civilian claimed that one of the leaders of the gunmen, Omar Maute, was killed in the fighting.
“Our survivor told our men that indeed Omar was already dead,” he said.
“This is only a confirmation of our early report. But we have to check the body,” he added.
As for Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, Herrera said they were still checking his whereabouts inside the war zone.
“His men are disappointed with him because he cannot be contacted now,” Herrera said.
“From what we’ve learned, they have problems with money. He (Hapilon) got the big chunk (of the money looted from houses),” he said. SFM