THE military said Friday the fighting in Marawi City will not be finished before President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address on July 24, but vowed to finish it within the 15-day target made by the President himself.
“We are right into the 10 to 15 days of the President. But the 10 to 15 days is beyond the Sona by the way, so don’t expect it to be before the Sona,” Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla told reporters.
Earlier, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said security forces were working toward ending the siege by the terrorists in Marawi within the “indicative target” raised by Duterte.
Padilla said about 600 buildings in Marawi City had yet to be cleared, with the government troops clearing about 50 structures a day.
But he said the campaign against the terrorists would not necessarily extend the imposition of martial law in Mindanao.
“I cannot go beyond what I just said because the recommendation primarily is not yet done and it is the decision of the leadership that will be the basis,” Padilla said.
“So whatever they decide on, for how long it will be extended, if it is extended, or if it’s lifted, the Armed Forces will just comply.”
Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa on Thursday said security officials were mulling over the proposals to reduce the scope of martial law being implemented in Mindanao, but there were calls for its possible extension before it lapsed on July 23.
“Right now the assessment is on its concluding stage and will be given to the chief of staff who will then do his vetting on the recommendation and eventually submitted to the secretary of National Defense for submission to the commander-in-chief,” he said, referring to Armed Forces Chief General Eduardo Año and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
“The secretary is the administrator of martial law and will necessarily have to have his inputs into the document.”