The first big event of the 14th week of martial law in Mindanao was that the AFP recaptured the police station.
 |
| http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/623073/gov-t-troops-regains-control-of-marawi-city-police-station/story/ |
Government forces have already regained control of the police station in Marawi City, GMA News' Sandra Aguinaldo reported on "24 Oras," Wednesday.
The military remains mum on the buildings that they were able to take back from the terrorist group. But officials said there are several important buildings under their control, including some mosques.
"We have taken over strategic locations within the main battle area. In fact 'yung mga locations po na ito ay areas where we can launch further assault into the area," said Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Group Ranao.
Creeping ever closer to victory the AFP also captured several other important buildings within the main battle zone. But it was not until a few days later that the second biggest event of the week occurred when they captured the most symbolic of all the buildings in Marawi: The Grand Mosque. Coincidently President Duterte showed up a few hours later.
 |
| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/925414/marawi-city-maute-group-islamic-state-president-duterte-mosque-eduardo-ano |
President Rodrigo Duterte traveled Thursday to the main battle zone in southern Marawi after Philippine troops finally recaptured a main mosque where Islamic State-linked militants had taken cover with their hostages in the three-month siege of the city, the military said.
Clad in a combat uniform, protective vest and helmet, Duterte congratulated the troops for regaining control of the Islamic Center, an indication they are nearing the final stage in ending the disastrous uprising. It was Duterte’s third known trip to the embattled city.
“I need to be with you to show my solidarity,” Duterte was quoted by officials as telling the troops.
How did Duterte show his solidarity with the troops? In the most characteristic way possible. By dressing up in a costume and staging a photo-op.
 |
| http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/925705/marawi-maute-group-islamic-state-president-duterte-terrorism-2 |
On his third visit to war-ravaged Marawi City, President Duterte fired a sniper rifle at positions held by Islamic State (IS)-linked gunmen to show solidarity with government troops who have been fighting the terrorists for the past three months, officials said on Friday.
During his visit on Thursday, Mr. Duterte inspected a devastated community where he spoke with troops and fired the rifle twice from a military sniper’s nest, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.
“The President wanted to be at the front line, so he went to the main battle area,” Padilla told reporters in Malacañang.
The President was in a combat uniform, wore a helmet and bulletproof vest and carried his own rifle. A collector of guns, including many sniper rifles, Mr. Duterte knew what he was doing, Padilla said.This was of course all fake. Every bit of it a piece of carefully crafted propaganda.
 |
| http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/623355/duterte-had-no-live-target-when-he-fired-sniper-rifle-in-marawi-palace/story/ |
President Rodrigo Duterte did not have a live target when he used a sniper rifle fired at enemy positions on his third visit in Marawi City, Malacañang said on Friday.
Nothing says solidarity with the troops like showing up in battle gear and firing a rifle at nothing.
Don't think for a moment this is not propaganda. Ex-sexy dancer turned sexy blogger turned sexy propagandist for the Duterte administration Mocha Uson also visited Marawi with the President and she did not wear full battle gear. If the danger is so high that there was a requirement for protective gear to be worn why wasn't she wearing any protection of any kind? Because it is better propaganda to see the Commander-in-Chief dressed in full combat gear and firing a weapon (this instills patriotism and confidence in Duterte) and to allow Mocha Uson to cavort with the troops in such a way that does not cover up her "sexiness" (this allows her followers and the AFP to gawk at the pretty lady for her body and her bravery in coming to Marawi).
 |
| Propaganda |
After retaking the Grand Mosque the big question is: Where did everybody go? Where are the hostages? Where are the Maute Group fighters? They moved to other buildings!
 |
| http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/25/17/fighting-reignites-near-marawi-mosque |
The firefight was 100 meters away from the mosque, an ABS-CBN News source said
The source added that the Maute group transferred to nearby buildings after state forces retook the mosque.
No hostages. No Maute fighters. No anybody. Not even dead bodies. How is picking off 40 fighters proving to be so difficult? Imagine if the region was flooded with ISIS fighters. Would the AFP be able to handle them all?
 |
In the seven-minute long video, produced by Isil’s Al Hayat media centre, a fighter identified as Abul-Yaman from Marawi, appeals to Muslim brothers in East Asia, particularly those in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore to migrate to the city “to perform jihad.”
The terrorist group then turns its ire on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, for running to “his masters, the defenders of the cross, America, along with their regional guard dog Australia” to beg them for help.
What's ironic is that ISIS thinks Duterte is running to the USA for help even calling them one of his masters. While it may appear that way from the outside,
 |
| http://globalnation.inquirer.net/159985/president-duterte-north-korea-admiral-harry-harris-jr-nuclear-attacks-guam |
Duterte doesn't think so.
Earlier this week, the president said that he will not invoke the defense treaty with the US if the Philippines confronts China in its violations in the South China Sea, and if the latter chooses the aggressive path.
"I will not call on America. I have lost trust in the Americans," Duterte said, known for his personal stance against the US.
"Everyone knows that President Duterte doesn’t like or trust the United States, and perhaps this was always his position on the MDT, but why say it publicly?" Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, told Philstar.com.
More ISIS fighters in Mindanao would propel the humanitarian crisis, which the government denies exists, to spiral out of control.
 |
| http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/623327/after-int-l-aid-groups-sound-alarm-ocd-denies-humanitarian-crisis-in-marawi-city/story/ |
If there is one thing the Philippine government is good at it's denial. Denying ISIS is in the region. Denying that China is encroaching on Philippine territory. And now denying that there is a humanitarian crisis in Marawi. The fact is the humanitarian crisis in Marawi started long ago.
 |
| http://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/08/21/17/shattered-lives-marawis-refugees |
"On the first day, we weren't too bothered because it was just gunshots. Marawi has always been very chaotic: family feuds or fights over women and money. They're called 'rido' (honour killings). When it's a 'rido', the police don't bother following up."
"But on the second day, when the bombing started, it was really scary. We knew we had to leave. There were brownouts so we couldn't charge our hand-phones. We had no food. Then, the Maute sent people out to look for men to fight. I hid. They even sent their women door-to-door to search for fighters.
"Finally, on the third day, we escaped. I couldn't fit them all (he gestures to his kids) on my motorbike, so I had to leave it behind. We piled onto my brother-in-law's Hilux truck along with my wife's family. We could only bring the clothes we were wearing at the time.”
“We didn't have much. But we've lost it all—at least PHP13000. The house was right in the centre of town in the Barangay Marinaut and that's been burnt down! I saw it on TV. I curse Marawi. I don't want to go back. I just want my children to go to school. I sell some of the canned foods they give us every day at the shelter to pay for their schooling."
When you live in an area where the sound of gunfire doesn't bother you because it's "just gunshots" and police don't even care to investigate murders because they are only honour killings then you are living in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. The way this man talks about his life as if such chaos is completely normal is a tragedy. It's hard to imagine what could be done to change such a horrible situation. If everything were to go back to normal tomorrow all the degeneracy of life in Marawi would surely reappear.
For those who say that Mindanao is safe, they should think twice.
Mindanao is a patchwork of local magnates: the former Davao Mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte is a classic example. For nearly two decades, he ruled his city firmly, creating a rare haven of peace and prosperity. As Manila's authority fluctuated; men (and women) such as Duterte were literally the law in their respective bailiwicks. However, if you were to drive just a few miles from Davao, the "Pax Duterte” totally evaporates.
On the one hand, there is an “alphabet soup” of Muslim groups –from the MNLF to the MILF. Indeed, the Maute were an MILF splinter group led by Abdullah Maute, founder of a so-called “Islamic State” in Lanao. If that wasn't complicated enough, Mindanao is also a major theatre of operations for the Communist fighters, the NPA. It's a confusing blur of religion, ideology, separatism and criminality.
http://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/08/21/17/shattered-lives-marawis-refugees
As the AFP prepares for the final assault on Marawi,
it must be remembered that there is more work to be done in the area after the city is retaken and the Maute Group is defeated.
As long as terrorism and the ideologies which foster terrorism are allowed to thrive in Mindanao making the island "a confusing blur of religion, ideology, separatism and criminality," and this has been the case for decades, the whole island will remain in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. The fight will never be over until the Philippines can take off its blinders and stop living in denial of the threats that face the country from within and from without.
 |
| http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/08/28/1733447/troops-preparing-final-assault-vs-maute |
As long as terrorism and the ideologies which foster terrorism are allowed to thrive in Mindanao making the island "a confusing blur of religion, ideology, separatism and criminality," and this has been the case for decades, the whole island will remain in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. The fight will never be over until the Philippines can take off its blinders and stop living in denial of the threats that face the country from within and from without.
"Hollywood could not make this stuff up!" Insane. And yes they put the "D" in denial.
ReplyDelete