A militant lawmaker said soldiers had threatened to rape women from Marawi City following the assurance of President Rodrigo Duterte that he will own the responsibility if they raped women.
At least 10 hours of “humanitarian pause” between the government troops and Maute group on Sunday gave way for the rescue of six civilians including an elderly.
A temporary silencing of guns and a pause in fighting between government forces and the Maute group is expected to give way to the peaceful celebration of the end of Ramadan on Sunday, June 25.
Businesses are put on hold as some investors choose to move their schedules to later dates following the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao.
A month after the island of Mindanao has been placed under martial rule, Eastern Mindanao Command Deputy Commander Brigadier General Gilbert Gapay said that they have successfully "prevented the spillover of terrorism" in Eastern Mindanao.