Shocking revelations about rebels occupying Philippine city

The Maute Islamic militants occupying Marawi City were founded and funded by two brothers who were former anti-drug police officers, the Inquirer newspaper quoted Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as saying on May 26.

(Illustration: Phil Star)

“They were originally policemen in Manila, but they got greedy for money from drugs so they came back here (Marawi) and set up one of the biggest drug factories in Lanao del Sur,” Duterte said. The head of the Philippine government added that the money the Maute brothers made from drug trafficking was used to finance the activities of the Maute militant group.

With the large sums of money earned from drug trafficking, the Maute brothers recruited soldiers, purchased weapons, and turned the former drug gang into a formidable enemy of the Philippine government.

Duterte added that through the Maute group, the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq could infiltrate the Philippines. “You can say that IS is already here. My main message to the terrorists is that we can still resolve this issue through dialogue. But if they do not lay down their arms, then fight to the end,” he said.

On the same day, speaking to the press, Philippine Government Attorney General Jose Calida said: "What is happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens. It has become an invasion of foreign terrorists who heed the call of IS and travel to the Philippines if they find it difficult to go to Iraq and Syria."

On May 23, Maute rebels, a group affiliated with the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS), attacked Marawi City. Fighting between government forces and Maute rebels over the past four days has left at least 54 people dead, including 41 rebels and 13 soldiers.

According to Dan Tri