Lt. Col. Joar Herrera,1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army (davaotoday.com file photo)
MARAWI CITY, Philippines — Police officers and civilians trapped for 22 days inside the center of the embattled city of Marawi were rescued early morning Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Joar Herrera, spokesman of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division said the survivors were trapped in Barangay Moncado Kadingilan.
The policemen who are members of the Marawi Police Station were identified as Police Officer 3 Ricky Alawi, PO1 Esmael Adam, PO1 Luma Lidasan, PO1 Ibrahim Wahab, and PO1 Bernard Vilariz. The civilians were identified as Analices Mari, Jerald Alico Docallos, Matteo Velasquez Jr, Jeniver Velasquez and Rodel Alico.
They were rescued while members of the Scout Ranger Battalions were conducting clearing operations.
Five other civilians were rescued on Monday, June 12 after managing to escape from the local terrorists.
Citing the accounts from the civilians, Herrera said suspected members of the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf group knocked on the door where they were staying.
“There were 18 of them in a house where they hid since Day 1, May 23. Suddenly, the terrorists found their place,” Herrera said.
He said the terrorists groups were numbering to around 30 to 50.
They tried to escape through the back door. “The terrorists ran after them and indiscriminately fired at them killing five civilia)ns,” he said.
“Yung limang kasama nila ay tinamaan po, while eight more were left,” he said.
Two of those who were left were Maranaos while the others were Christians.
The total rescued civilians is 1,623. Herrera said the latest count of civilians killed by the terrorists is at 26. (davaotoday.com)
