Gov’t warns of retaliation by terrorists

Soldiers walk in the frontline in Bangulo village in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur minutes on October 17, 2017 after President Rodrigo Duterte announced the city ‘liberated from terrorists’ influence’ but the military said the five-month battle against militants loyal to the Islamic State group was not yet over. PHOTO BY JEOFFREY MAITEM

The police and the military in Mindanao remain on high alert for retaliatory attacks after the collapse of the terrorist siege of Marawi City and the battlefield deaths of the terrorists’ leaders this week.

Opposition leaders in the House of Representatives, however, are calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to “immediately” lift martial law in Mindanao now that the siege of Marawi is over.

Government troops killed on Monday Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and Maute terror group leader Omarkhayam Maute, the last two leaders of the Dawla Islamiya terrorist alliance that seized large parts of Marawi on May 23.

The bodies of the two terrorist leaders had been recovered and identified, the military said.

President Duterte declared Marawi “liberated from terrorist influence” on Tuesday, although government troops were still battling 20 to 30 remaining terrorists and trying to rescue about 20 hostages.

Military officials said they expected the fighting to end soon.

With the deaths of Hapilon and Maute, “the terror threat has been mitigated,” Representatives Tom Villarin, Teddy Baguilat and Edgar Erice said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Martial law in Mindanao has lost its reason for being and should be lifted,” they added.

In a separate statement, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano reminded Mr. Duterte that on Sept. 21 in Marawi City, he declared that he would lift his martial law declaration after the clearing operations.

“I hope it was not just a joke to appease rallyists at that time,” Alejano said.

There was no immediate comment from Malacañang on Wednesday, but Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr., spokesperson for the military, said on Tuesday that consultations would be held to determine whether martial law, which Mr. Duterte clamped on Mindanao on May 23 following the terrorist attack on Marawi, could now be lifted.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also said the lifting of martial law would be decided before the end of October.

Threat from sympathizers

Padilla said the threat of terror remained, as sympathizers of the Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups could lay siege to another urban area or bomb and harass other communities in Mindanao.

Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, chief of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), had ordered troops to be on alert for retaliatory attacks by sympathizers of the terrorists, Maj. Ezra Balagtay, spokesperson for the Eastmincom, said on Wednesday.

“The directive includes the intensification of security operations in different areas and the terroritorial waters [under Eastmincom jurisdiction],” Balagtay said.

Eastmincom has operational control over Army and Navy units in the regions of Davao, Caraga, South Cotabato and Sarangani and parts of Northern Mindanao.

In Cotabato City, Senior Supt. Rolly Octavio, police director of the city, said tighter security measures coordinated with the military were in place.

“We have augmentation forces from the Central Mindanao Command in securing the city,” Octavio said, adding police and military officials had been reviewing the situation and planning response following the deaths of Hapilon and Maute in Marawi.

Tighter security

Supt. Bernard Tayong, spokesperson for the North Cotabato police, said security forces across the province had been placed on heightened alert.

Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police director, said the provincial police and the military’s 6th Infantry Division were closely monitoring IS-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) operating in the province’s second district.

In Cagayan de Oro City, Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said troops remained vigilant.

“We cannot let our guard down,” Martinez said. —WITH REPORTS FROM FRINSTON LIM, EDWIN O. FERNANDEZ, DIVINA SUSON, JIGGER J. JERUSALEM AND NIKKO DIZON