Rescuers find 17 bodies  in Marawi

June 28, 2017

MARAWI CITY — Rescuers found 17 decomposing bodies of civilians as government security forces continued battling  to regain control of this city. Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, Joint Task Force Ranao spokesman, told reporters the remains were recovered by police, military and civilian volunteers in village of Gadungan around 11:40 noon in two separate locations. “Recovered are believed to be those civilians who are helplessly murdered by the Maute-Abu Sayyaf terrorist,’ Herrera said. “This is a manifestation of Maute brutality who killed these innocent civilians in cold blood,” he added. Herrera said police are trying to identify the bodies so relatives can claim and bury them. “We are not sure if they were beheaded  because the bodies were at the advance state of decomposition,” Herrera said. Herrera said the retrieval operations are concentrated in some areas which previously held by Maute.. The clashes flared up on May 23 when troops and police tried to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, the acknowledged head of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Mindanao. But a big force of gunmen composed of militants from the Maute group stopped them and fighting has been going on. Nearly a total of 400 have died from the fighting. DMS