US proposal to conduct airstrikes in Marawi not taken up in talks: Philippine officials

August 8, 2017

There was no discussion between the Philippines and the United States on the latter's supposed plan to conduct airstrikes in the war-torn Marawi City, officials said on Tuesday.

In a text message to reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the reported US plan to launch airstrikes was not discussed during the meeting on Monday between President Rodrigo Duterte and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who attended the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings in Manila.

"This was not taken up during the meeting between PRRD (Duterte) and Secretary Tillerson," he said.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, in a separate statement, said, quoting Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, that there was no discussion between Manila and Washington on the matter.

"Per Secretary Lorenzana that matter has not been discussed between the two countries," he said.

NBC News reported, quoting two US defense officials, that Pentagon is considering a plan allowing US military to conduct airstrikes on the ISIS in the Philippines.

The Filipino forces have been pursuing ISIS-inspired Maute Terror Group, which attacked and started occupying Marawi City on May 23, prompting Duterte to declare martial law in the whole of Mindanao.

In an interview with reporters on Monday night shortly after meeting Tillerson in Malacanang, Duterte refused to divulge what he discussed with the foreign diplomat, saying it was "confidential."

The Philippines and US are strategic partners and they have existing military cooperation under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement. Celerina Monte/DMS