85% of unexploded ordnance in Marawi City cleared: AFP spox

Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, said the clearing and rehabilitation operations are being conducted by engineering units of the Philippine Army, Navy, and Air Force. (PNA photo)

MANILA — Military units in Marawi City have cleared 85 percent of the ordnance that did not explode during the fierce fighting between government forces and Maute-Group terrorists last year.

Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, said the clearing and rehabilitation operations are being conducted by engineering units of the Philippine Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Arevalo said the removal of unexploded ordnance is a high-priority mission as rehabilitation works would not progress well without it.

He, however, did not give an exact date on when the remaining 15 percent would be cleared.

“May mga 15 percent pa kasi yung area (Marawi), hindi ako makapag-cite ng exact na petsa (About 15 percent of the area has yet to be cleared. I cannot cite an exact date) but what we are very sure about is nagtutuloy yung ating ginagawang operations (our operations are ongoing),” the AFP spokesperson said.

Fighting in Marawi City began on May 23 and ended on Oct. 23 last year.

More than 1,000 members of the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group were neutralized in the fighting, including IS “emir” in Southeast Asia Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, founder of the terror organization.

Meanwhile, some 200 soldiers and civilians perished in the fighting.