National

“Time to show we are one,” says Robredo as she visits Marawi evacuees; refrains from criticizing gov’t

  (Eagle News) — Vice President Leonor Robredo visited evacuees inside an elementary school outside the besieged Marawi City on Monday (June 26) and said that it was more important at this point not to criticize the government in handling the Marawi crisis. Robredo, who just came from a visit to the United States, said the government was doing everything it can with the current crisis, and hoped that the fighting will end soon. Although […]

Eight religious emissaries talked to Abdullah Maute for release of hostages, says OPAPP official

  (Eagle News) — A group of eight religious people was among those who tried to negotiate recently with Abdullah Maute, one the Maute brothers who led the attack on Marawi City, so more of their hostages can be released and more of the civilians trapped in the city can be rescued. This was according to government peace panel assistant secretary Dickson Hermoso of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) […]

Six civilians rescued in Marawi City during 8-hour ceasefire, but 100 hostages still held by extremists

  (Eagle News) — Philippine government forces rescued several civilians, including an infant, trapped in Marawi City on Sunday (June 25) after an eight-hour ceasefire that was held in respect of the end of Ramadan, even as forces confirmed there were still 100 hostages held by Islamist militants. Troops managed to secure six trapped civilians, including one infant, and a cadaver during the eight-hour ceasefire with Islamic State-linked militants who seized parts of Marawi City […]

Abducted priest seen alive in Marawi; AFP verifying reports Hapilon slipped out of city

Agence France Presse — A Roman Catholic priest abducted by Islamist militants who seized parts of a southern Philippine city has been seen alive, the military said Monday, as troops pressed on with their offensive. Air and artillery bombardment of enclaves occupied by the militants in Marawi resumed after an eight-hour truce Sunday to allow Muslims to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fasting month. Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera said the militants were […]

PHL military says “leadership crisis,” money problems affecting Islamist militants in Marawi City

Gov’t recovers 347 firearms, hundreds of communications equipment from terrorist groups   (Eagle News) — The Philippine military said that they have recovered at least 347 firearms and hundreds of communications equipment from Islamist militants who continue to hold on to a “limited” area of Marawi City, as they announced to the public that there is a leadership crisis in the Islamist terrorists’ group. Task Force Marawi spokesperson Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera said that the […]

Eight-hour truce in Marawi ends

An eight-hour ceasefire in Marawi came to an abrupt end Sunday afternoon as the government continued its offensive against Islamist militants occupying parts of the city. Assaults backed by air and artillery bombardment had stopped at 6am but gunfire broke out as soon as the truce ended around 2pm, AFP reporters in Marawi said. Regional military commander Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez said the truce also allowed five Muslim religious leaders to enter ground zero and […]

Trust ratings in AFP, PNP at record high

(Eagle News) — Trust in the government’s security forces are at record-high levels based on a recent Social Weather Stations survey. A whopping 75 percent of adult Filipinos have “much trust” in the  Armed Forces of the Philippines, or a net trust score of +66 or “very good,” according to the survey conducted from March 30 to April 2. Sixty nine percent of adult Filipinos, on the other hand, have “much trust” in the Philippine […]

Palace still verifying reports that 89 foreign terrorists had entered the country

  (Eagle News) — Malacanang is verifying reports that 89 foreign terrorists have entered the country. Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that foreign terrorists may have entered the backdoor where the point of entry is Mindanao via Indonesia or Malaysia. “This is the purpose why we are making a collective effort against terrorism and violent extremism through a trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and Malaysia,” he said. The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia have recently beefed up […]

Military verifying reports Abu Sayyaf’s Hapilon no longer in Marawi

The military on Saturday said it was verifying reports Isnilon Hapilon has escaped Marawi. Hapilon, a veteran Filipino militant who claims to be the leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Southeast Asia, has not been seen in the battle zone, said Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, head of the military’s Western Mindanao Command. An attempt by government troops to arrest Hapilon in Marawi on May 23 triggered a rampage by Islamist militants flying black […]

Exclusive: Russia fully supports PHL government’s fight vs terrorism in Marawi, says ambassador

Stresses importance of united front to fight int’l terrorism based on Russia’s experience     QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Russian ambassador to the Philippines H. E. Igor Khovaev said Russia “fully supports” the Philippine government’s fight against terrorism in Mindanao, saying the terrorist attack in Marawi City was “an attack on all of us.” “I would like first to emphasize that we fully support a fair, legitimate struggle for the Philippine nation against […]

Philippine gov’t verifying reports that Malaysian financier and Maute brother killed in Marawi fighting

  A Malaysian militant and former university professor who allegedly funded the Islamist militants in Marawi City was among those killed by government forces in the besieged city, according to intelligence information received by the government forces as fighting entered its second month. Wire reports from the Associated Press quoted Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Eduardo Ano as saying that Malaysian Mahmud bin Ahmad, who reportedly channeled more than $600,000 or P30 million […]

The Mautes of the Philippines: from monied family to Islamic State-linked group

  MANILA/MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Reuters) — Before they formed one of the most dreaded militant groups in the Philippines and pledged loyalty to Islamic State, the Mautes were a wealthy, political family in the southern region of Mindanao, largely influenced by the matriarch, Farhana. Soft-spoken and reserved, 60-year-old Farhana Maute owns property in Mindanao and in Manila, and runs a construction business, say people who know the family and security analysts who have scrutinized its […]