Soldiers find bodies of six civilians in Marawi

July 13, 2017

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Government troops have recovered six remains skeletal remains in a reported execution site of the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf bandits in Marawi City, a military official disclosed Thursday. Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, Joint Task Force Marawi spokesman, said the remains were discovered around 9:47 am Wednesday “in a place believed to be one of the execution sites used by the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf bandits in murdering civilians in Marawi City.” Herrera said the remains clad in orange dress were found by troops from the Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion. He added the victims were executed during the early part of the fighting which started on May 23. Lt.  Gen.  Carlito Galvez, Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief,  condemned the  killing. “The brutal execution is a proof of their un-Islamic ways. These terrorist do not respect anyone or anything,” Galvez said. These six remains have brought the number of cadavers recovered by soldiers to 39 since  fighting started on May 23. First Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong, Crisis Management Committee spokesperson, said the local government and the police have established a laboratory to check identities of the bodies. DMS