Unlike earlier Moro raids, Maute extremists appear to have “upgraded” their weapons, logistics and tactics, making it more difficult for the military to end the two-month battle for Marawi City.
“Compared to previous encounters with the Maute group, this one in Marawi is an upgrade,” 1st Lt. Kent Fagyan told members of Congress during its special session on the extension of martial law.
The 29-year-old Army officer, who wore an armsling because of a combat injury, was presented to lawmakers by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea upon questioning by Sen. Richard Gordon.
“They have many 50-cal. [guns], radio frequency scanners. They have drones and their ammunition appears to be unlimited,” said Fagyan, who led a reconnaissance company of the 1st Infantry Division.
Fagyan said he based his assessment on his experience from the three-week siege of Zamboanga City in September 2013, and the Maute group’s raid on Butig, Lanao del Sur province, in November last year.
Improved tactics
Aside from improved weapons and logistics, the extremists also improved their tactics from when they were just a bandit group in their Butig hometown.
“What we’re doing is really difficult. As much as possible, we avoid casualties, but the enemy is good, too,” Fagyan said.
They chose an urban target with commercial and residential buildings higher and closer together as compared to other places in Mindanao, he said.
From elevated defensive positions, the extremists can pick off soldiers out in the streets, so troops have to make holes in the walls of houses which they then use to sneak through the city labyrinth.
“The houses are near each other so we have to observe first if there are enemies. If there’s resistance, we use tear gas,” Fagyan said, adding they had also had to use recoilless rifles and grenades.
The extremists were also known to leave booby traps inside a building they had previously held and Fagyan related how he and his men were almost killed when one of his men sat on a bomb rigged in a chair.
Fagyan also thanked the public for their support for the military.
“On behalf of my colleagues who are still fighting in Marawi, we would like to thank you for helping us because we can feel that we are not alone in fighting the enemy,” he said.
“We thank you for sending clothes [and] water. It’s a big help because when you’re in the zone, you can’t eat on time. You can’t sleep because you will be awakened by gunfire here and there,” he added.