Palace: Troops thwarted Maute plans

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday credited the “early and decisive” response of the security forces that hindered the plans of extremists’ plan to establish caliphate in the southern Philippines.

Speaking to reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella believed that the situation in the beleaguered city would have aggravated, had the government troops failed to preempt the plans of Maute terrorist group.

“Were it not for the early and decisive action of the military, then it would have been worse,” Abella said.

“We need to also take note of the fact that the early action of the military and the government has actually preempted their plans to be able to capture the city. So we need to accredit that,” he added.

The presidential spokesperson issued the statement a day after Solicitor General spilled that the government knew as early as May that the Maute group, which allegedly pledged alliance to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis), had a plan to attack Marawi City and raise the Isis flag in the provincial capitol.

Calida’s revelation was included in a consolidated comment on anti-martial law petitions, which was submitted Monday, ahead of the Supreme Court’s oral arguments on the petitions scheduled from June 13 to 15.

“Specifically, on 18 May 2017, intelligence reports revealed that the Isis-inspired local rebel groups were planning to occupy Marawi City, and to raise the Isis flag at the provincial capitol,” the report read.

While the government was aware of Maute members’ planned attack, it failed to foil the militants’ attack on several public and private facilities in Marawi City on May 23, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the whole Mindanao region.

The proclamation of martial law in Mindanao was announced when Duterte, along with his top security officials, was still in Russia.

Abella came to the defense of the security officials who joined the President in his Russia trip, saying that they were “on top of the situation.”

“We knew that there were activities on the ground. I can only say it so far. They knew that there were abnormal activities,” he said. “They’re on top of the situation. They’re actually monitoring everything.”

Three weeks after the imposition of martial rule, the government reported that 26 civilians, 202 extremists, and 58 government troops have been killed.

The government earlier set June 12 as a deadline to liberate Marawi but failed to meet the imposed ultimatum.

Abella guaranteed that Duterte made a clear instruction to push for a “total, complete” clearing of Marawi City.

“The fight continues. As he (Duterte) said, we will not stop until it’s finished. The June 12 was a working deadline set by the military. However, as you have very well seen, the issues are more complicated on the ground,” Abella said. (SunStar Philippines)

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