Philippine military overrun terror group's base in Marawi

  MANILA – Philippine government and military authorities announced on Sunday that they have rescued Catholic priest Teresito "Chito" Soganub and a teacher from the Islamic State-linked Maute Group The rescue of Soganub (not Suganob as earlier reported by Philippine media) and Lordvin Ocopio, a professor of Dansalan College in Marawi City, came almost four months after the two and other city residents were abducted by the Maute Group gunman who laid siege on the city on May 23. Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza first announced Soganub's rescue in a Facebook post, citing former Iligan City Mayor Franklin Quijano. Iligan is located near Marawi. Dureza said he learned from Quijano that Soganub and Ocopio were rescued at 11 p.m. on Saturday near the Bato Ali Mosque - one of the Maute Group's strongholds. On the other hand, Rear Adm. Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Navforwem), said he received confirmation of the rescue from "ground operators" in Marawi. Medina said Soganub and Ocopio told troopers that they managed to escape from their captors during heavy fighting between the terrorists and soldiers as the military overran the Bato Ali Mosque and while fleeing, they were identified by the police and brought to safety. More than 800 people that included militants, soldiers and police, and civilians have been killed in clashes and military strikes on Marawi since the crisis began on May 23, which prompted by President Rodrigo Duterte to declare Martial Law on Mindanao. Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of the Joint Task Force Marawi, said the military is engaged in battles with at least 80 Maute Group members who are still holding 40 hostages. When Soganub appeared in a video released by the Maute terrorists in May, he pleaded for his life and that of his fellow hostages. He also said their captors demand that the military pull out from Marawi. According to Brawner, the militants have forced some of the hostages to join the fighting because the terror group has lost many members in previous clashes with soldiers. Brawner also said two militant leaders are still believed to be with the gunmen in Marawi, pointing out that the capture of Isnilon Hapilon and Omarkhayam Maute is important so that the crisis won't happen again. Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Eduardo Año described the seizure of the Bato Ali mosque as an "enormous" gain for the military because it served as a battle command center of the terrorists. Año urged the militants and former hostages who have joined the Maute Group to surrender while there is still time. GAC/Expat 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