ZAMBOANGA - Commander of the Western Mindanao Command Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., said that two Maute brothers who became ISIS leaders in Marawi were allegedly killed. The allegations came after the group's bases were bombarded by Manila's military.
"Our information is that Omar Maute (Omarkhayam) and Madi Maute (both Maute brothers) have been killed," Galvez said on Friday (6/23/2017).
However, the fate of Abdullah, the second brother of the Maute brothers, who is the head and founder of the group and Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, is unknown.
Galvez said that Hapilon, Abdullah, and other militants besieging the Marawi City were experiencing severe military airstrikes and ground attack operations.
According to Galvez, Philippine troops have managed to penetrate the remaining terrorist positions and find tunnels used by the group as bunkers and bomb shelters.
"There is a stench because the bodies of terror suspects are thrown in the tunnels," Galvez said. "Their critical point is near."
Galvez added that ISIS loyalist militants used civilian hostages as "stupid" fighters to infiltrate soldiers. Nevertheless, he insisted that Philippine troops could still distinguish civilians from ISIS combatants.
Galvez welcomed the support provided by the Australian military who sent two P-3 Orion reconnaissance planes to assist in gathering intelligence data to quell the ISIS militants in Marawi.
"Collective technical support is greatly welcomed. ISIS phenomenon is global and to beat the threat is that we can unite, "said Galvez, as quoted by Philstar.
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