Abducted priest in Marawi still alive – PNP

Fr. Teresito Suganob makes an appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to stop military operations in Marawi. (Photo from a video circulating on Facebook)

The Philippine National Police on Wednesday said that Fr. Chito Suganob, the priest held hostage by the Maute terrorist group in Marawi City, is still alive.

“Based sa intelligence natin to be validated, lumalabas na buhay pa siya,” Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, the director for operations of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Police, said in a press briefing.

Anduyan was at Camp Crame as one of the special awardees for the PNP’s 116th anniversary for his role as commander of a Joint Task Group leading law enforcement and offensive operations and his exemplary performance on crisis management in Marawi City.

Suganob, along with a parish secretary, two working students, and at least 10 other parishioners were taken hostage by the Maute Group gunmen last May 23 when fighting between government forces and the terrorists broke out.

In a propaganda video released by militants, the priest appealed to the government to stop the offensives. It later became viral.