P52.2 million worth of cash and P27 million worth of stale checks were found by authorities during a house to house clearing operations near Mapandi bridge in Marawi City on Tuesday. (Photo by Kaye Imson)
DAVAO CITY – The P52.2-million cash recovered by government troops on Monday in the midst of continuing ground operations in Marawi City is now under the safekeeping of the government.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella in a press conference on Tuesday said “It has been duly secured and turned over to the headquarters Task Force Marawi for safe keeping.”
Abella also reported that members of the Maute Group burned a portion of Banggolo area in Marawi on Monday evening.
“This is most likely part of their original plan,” he said.
He added that government troops are making headway into the inner areas of Marawi.
“Compounding development remains to be the use of civilians as human shields and madrasahs, mosques as staging and harbor areas,” Abella said.
Photo by Kaye Imson
Rescued civilians
Trapped civilians were also rescued on Monday, Abella said.
A total of 1,469 civilians trapped were already rescued since the start of the siege in Marawi, he added.
The latest rescue operation was conducted by the elements of the 1st civil-military operations battalion and personnel of G7, 1st Infantry Division in the area, Abella said.
As of June 5, Abella said 112 firearms were already recovered from the area while the government casualties, particularly those killed in action now reaches 39.
Reward for Hapilon, Maute brothers
Abella also announced that President Rodrigo Duterte is offering P10 million additional reward for the capture or neutralization of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.
He said President Duterte’s offer is “on top of all existing monetary rewards both from the Philippines and the US government.”
The President is also offering an additional bounty of P5 million for the Maute brothers in additional to all existing monetary rewards.
“The monetary reward will be given in cash, no questions asked,” Abella pointed out. (davaotoday.com)
