AFP spent over P5B in war vs local terrorists in Marawi – Lorenzana

MARAWI CITY – The military has spent over P5 billion in the war against pro-Islamic State terrorists that left more than a thousand people dead, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said the war money, which could increase as troops are still fighting against remaining Maute and Abu Sayyaf gunmen in the frontline in this war torn city, was spent on ammunition, fuel, food and allowances of soldiers in the last four months.

“But the Department of Budget and Management has allocated for support of evacuees, construction of houses, repair of bridges up to the end of the year,” Lorenzana told reporters here Wednesday.

Lorenzana said next year they will be needing P10 billion for full-swing rehabilitation of the city.

Filipino architect Felino Palafox Jr., who committed to help in the reconstruction of Marawi, recommended to local officials of Lanao del Sur to make the ruins of Marawi a historic memorial as a lesson for the future on how terrorism can destroy a peaceful city.

“I’ve been in post-disaster rehabilitations – big earthquakes, tsunamis and big floods – Marawi is the worst,” he said.

“We still believe that grand zero should be preserved as a lesson for future generations,” Palafox told reporters.

Palafox said local officials had “accepted in principle” his recommendation.

“Their only concern was the social acceptance,” he said.

Palafox said with the kind of damage in this city, it might take 70 years to bring it back to what it was.

“Rehabilitate, maybe, the places of worships, education, and the significant buildings. The damaged ones, they can be retained, especially those full of bullets as a lesson for the future how terrorism can destroy a peaceful city,” he stressed.

Fighting between government forces and Islamic State-inspired terrorists group broke out on May 23, when security forces tried to arrest Isnilon Hapilon, the purported leader of ISIS in Southeast Asia.