Marawi folk back probe of 5-month war on IS

A group of displaced residents has rallied support for the proposed Senate inquiry into the five-month war on Islamic State (IS) in Marawi City.

Moro Consensus Group, composed of Marawi residents displaced by combat between government forces and IS followers, said many questions were left unanswered by the war that destroyed Marawi’s commercial area and rendered thousands of people homeless.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, critic of the Duterte administration and former Navy officer, filed proposed resolution No. 743 demanding a probe of the circumstances that led to the five-month fighting.

Trillanes said the government knew about the threat to Marawi months ahead of the war but was unable to prevent terrorists from occupying dozens of houses in the city and using these to launch a campaign to establish an IS base there.

Lininding said people were wondering where government forces were on May 23 last year, the day before Abu Sayyaf and Maute gunmen made their presence in the city known.

She added that Marawi residents were also wondering why the government rejected local officials’ offer to take up arms against the terrorists. “They knew the area better,” Lininding said. —Allan Nawal