No Marawi-like siege anytime soon — AFP chief

While there were reports of ongoing recruitment of ISIS-linked fighters in Mindanao, it would take years before another crisis like the Marawi siege will happen again in the country, Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

“It would take years for [the] Marawi incident to happen again, that’s why… we are breaking the generational link or generational process so that we can counter yung (the) ISIS narrative,” he told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo.

Galvez was the commander of the Western Mindanao Command when the five-month Marawi crisis happened last year. It was the biggest security challenge to the military in recent years.

He said they believe that the strength of the Maute forces has “greatly weakened” after the five-month gun battle ended last October.

The AFP chief said more than 2,000 firearms have been surrendered by the people and the town mayors to the government.

The Marawi siege, however, prompted the government to declare a year-long extension of martial law in Mindanao.

“The implementation of martial law hastened the arrest and also the neutralization of many threat groups…Yung magandang (The good) impact is we gained so much support from the people,” he added.

Galvez could not say, however, if martial law would be extended anew when it ends later this year.

“I cannot predict. It’s a political decision. For us, it has a very good significant impact in terms of countering terrorism in Mindanao. And not only terrorism but also criminalities,” he said. /ee