THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will not impose a deadline to end the crisis in Marawi City, a military spokesperson said Wednesday.
"We will not set deadlines. We will ensure that we are able to clear it of any armed elements that still exist and it may take some time," AFP spokesman Restituto Padilla told Palace reporters.
Padilla made the statement after the AFP failed to meet its target date to liberate Marawi City on Independence Day, June 12.
It has been three weeks now since the government troops attempted to clear Marawi of Islamic State-linked Maute terror group.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who declared martial rule in the entire Mindanao on May 23, put to task the security forces to inhibit insurgency of Islamist gunmen in Marawi and in the whole southern Philippines.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said combatants' resistance in continued to dwindle, stressing that they were holed up at only four of 96 villages in the conflict-torn city.
Padilla admitted that the state forces' "judicious and deliberate” execution of military operations attributed to the "slow process of liberating Marawi."
"Our rules of engagement are very different in urban terrain. We have to be very careful. We have to be very judicious. We have to be very deliberate so as to avoid hitting innocent lives. And this is where the slow process of liberating Marawi is currently happening," he said.
Padilla said the military is now targeting to clear Marawi’s urban terrain, "where the problem lies."
He said the government troops have to be careful in enforcing offensives against the militants in urban areas because this is where "civilians are still currently trapped and may possibly be used as human shields or may be hit by crossfire."
"So we will continue to take care of these areas. We will progressively get in and neutralize these targets if they opt to take care of these areas. We will progressively get in and neutralize these targets if they opt to keep on fighting. But we will have to do it on a very painstaking manner in consideration of lives still trapped in the area," the AFP spokesman said.
AFP open to military aid from other nations
To expedite the clearing operations in Marawi City, Padilla said, the military is not closing its doors on the possible military assistance from other nations like its most-sought countries China and Russia.
The military official said the AFP welcomes any help from other countries in order to combat terrorism not only in the Philippines but also in all nations facing terror threats.
"The government and its armed forces is open to any help because it is worldwide battle against terrorists," Padilla said.
Padilla, however, said it would take time to get the desired military assistance from other countries because it has to go through a process.
"It will take time. You have to allot time to organize and transfer all their weapons here," he said.
This was developed after top security officials earlier confirmed that the United States troops are assisting the Philippine military in its fight against Maute members. The military aid, however, is only limited to technical assistance.
Padilla said the US' assistance to the Philippine troops is incumbent, given its capability on security defense.
"Yes, we asked for their help. We requested them to stay there and provide us assistance because we don’t have such capability [to fight against terrorism alone]," he said.
Amid the ongoing clashes in Marawi City, Padilla assured that the military is on top of the situation and would not risk the lives of innocent people.
He also asked for the public understanding as the government forces takes “a little more time” in ending the crisis in Marawi.
"What we are doing is an operation that is a no-easy task. It will entail a bit of time before we clear every house of armed elements. So please have more patience,” Padilla said. “So if it needs, if it takes a little more time then so be it, for as long those lives are safe. (SunStar Philippines)