Marawi City remains a dangerous place although the military claimed the terrorist group is contained in four barangays.

“As was previously mentioned, the area of Marawi still remains a dangerous place because of the existence of snipers in certain areas of the city particularly those four barangays that are remaining problematic,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday.

This was mentioned by Padilla, after a foreign journalist was hit by stray bullet while within the area of Lanao del Sur provincial capitol compound in Marawi City that was considered a safe zone by authorities.

“Even it was a safe zone, there are possibilities of stray bullets getting into your areas and potentially causing harm to any member of the media and we would like to avoid that,” Padilla said.

Padilla identified the foreign journalist as Adam Harvey from the Australian Broadcasting Company.

“He was just grazed by a stray bullet coming from the other side of the capitol where the area is still a battlefield, and he has been attended to and has been released from the clinic,” he said.

“What we gathered is in the course of the fight at the other side of the capitol there have been a sniper bullet that may strayed in the area and accidentally hit the journalist,” Padilla added.

Padilla confirmed that Harvey was out of danger and his condition is not life threatening.

He said the military continues to keep the battlefield farther from the capitol.

However, Padilla advised media personnel covering the crisis to remain in the capitol despite the incident.

“Our advice to the members of the media covering Marawi is to remain in the safe zones which is the capitol and those that were designated by our troops. If I may reiterate that advice that is to be heeded by everybody. Please do not violate it for your own safety and you know the reason why as what happened this morning,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS