‘Foreign-looking’ Maute fighter among bodies recovered in Marawi

The body of a "foreign-looking" fighter of the ISIS-inspired Maute group was among those retrieved by government forces in Marawi City, authorities said.

"There was one cadaver, among the retrieved last week... one of them was a foreign-looking person," said ARMM assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong in a 24 Oras report by Emil Sumangil on Monday.

Authorities already conducted post-mortem examinations on the 40 bodies recovered in the main battle area last week.

Foreign forensic examiners were part of the team that conducted the examination.

Meanwhile, Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Force Ranao, said the local terrorists were already having a hard time fighting against government forces.

A video obtained by the military shows Maute members unable to fire back at soldiers and resorting to shouting at them.

"They are desperate, they are running out of food and water, medicines and ammunition... so sabi nga po ng ating mga ground commanders, this week is very critical," Brawner said.

"We are convincing the Maute to surrender. We're also convincing them to release their hostages, but also we have an effort to convince the hostages to try to escape," he added.

Meanwhile, in an interview with reporters, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo said they should not lose their strong will to fight the local terrorists.

The military earlier said fewer than 50 Maute group members are still fighting in the embattled city.

"Nakita na natin ang great reduction ng strength and capability nila to withstand our... the onslaught of our personnel. Subalit hindi pa rin natin pwedeng maliitin at sabihin kayang kaya na natin, what we are saying is we have the upper hand, we gained the momentum, nasa atin ang operational tempo," Arevalo said.

"Subalit meron pa rin silang improvised explosive devices, may mga bihag pa rin sila na hawak nila na ginamit nilang human shield at kino-covert nila into fighters," he added.

Arevalo also said it would be better if they capture the local terrorists alive.

"Sa tingin natin hindi sila magpapahuli ng buhay, but if we will be able to capture them alive that will be good sapagkat magkakaroon tayo ng pagkakataon upang matanong pa sila ng mga ibang mga impormasyon na pwede nating malaman mula sa kanila," he said.

"But if in any case na nakikita naman nila na nandoon na sila sa losing end, we encourage them to give up and binigay naman natin ang assurance natin sa kanila that they will be treated humanely.

"But of course, they would really have to face the consequences of their actions, lahat ng illegal, at krimen na ginawa nila kailangang panagutin sa batas but they will be treated humanely contrary how they treat their hostages," he added. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News