AFP chief admits Marawi crisis can be a "magnet" for displaced ISIS to come to PH
The Philippine military chief admitted on Thursday that the Marawi crisis could be a "magnet" for displaced foreign Islamic State militants in the Middle East to come to the country.
In an interview at the sidelines of the trilateral security meeting among the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia in Pasay City, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said government forces have been on alert to make sure foreign terrorists could not enter the Philippines.
"That's why we are monitoring Mosul now. The effort of the allied forces there is good. In fact they are forecasting that in six months they will defeat the ISIS there," he said.
"They expect that those who will be displaced will come to Asia and because of the Marawi crisis, the Philippines is like a magnet. That's what we are monitoring," Ano explained.
The AFP chief said there were around 40 foreign terrorists in Mindanao, about 20 of them were Indonesians, six Malaysians and the rest were from Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
But he clarified some were already killed. The military could have an update regarding the number of slain foreign terrorists by the end of the month, he said.
Ano also clarified the earlier claim of Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu that there were 1,200 ISIS in the Philippines and 40 of them were Indonesians.
He said the figure could even increase to 1,300. But he said they were not ISIS militants, but members of the local terror groups, such as Abu Sayyaf, Maute, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Ansar Al-Khalifa Philippines.
"They see that all of them are ISIS but for us, they are not ISIS because they are locals although they pledged allegiance to the ISIS, but not in toto or 100 percent that they are ISIS," he said.
The government troopers have not yet cleared Marawi of Maute militants who started attacking and occupying the city on May 23, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the whole of Mindanao.
Ano said they did not want to set a deadline to clear Marawi of terrorists so soldiers would not be pressured.
He expressed belief that Isnilon Hapilon, the ISIS-anointed leader in the Philippines, and Abdullah Maute were still in Marawi.
"Hapilon is still inside (Marawi). This could be the reason why the (Maute) members are defying (us) because Hapilon is still alive," he said.
As to Omar Maute, he expressed belief he was killed.
Ano downplayed the possibility of more Muslim fighters to reinforce Maute after Ramadan, which will end on Monday.
He said the government has been talking with the Muslim and religious leaders to help "deradicalize" their youths. Celerina Monte/DMS
