"What is more telling right now was the report that civilians who were held hostage or under the control of the Maute-ISIS group are now being used as combatants," Arevalo said.
"They were being tasked to man battle positions. They were being tasked to take up arms and shoot our soldiers," he added.
He also said that there's only around 120 members of the Maute group remaining in four barangay of Marawi City while 150 to 200 hostages remains caught in the side of the militants.
Joint Task Force Marawi spokesperson Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera received reports that members of the militant group who are wanting to surrender are being executed. This depicts the fall of the local terrorist group after more than a month of clashes.
"We have reports that they have executed their own fighters. Yun yung mga, and that is a manifestation of a crumbling, dividing leadership, 'pag sila-sila na ang nagpapatayan," he said.
Since the Abu Sayyaf leader fled from the conflict zone, the Maute group is now facing a leadership problem said Herrera.
There's a total of 70 government soldiers and 26 civilians casualties since the day one of the clash while at least 290 militants were killed.
A military source of a news network claimed that a Maranao was arrested by the military for rescuing and helping injured terrorist escape the city. The said Maranao receives P500,000 for every escaped Maute member.
Meanwhile, 11 members of the Abu Sayyaf surrendered last week to the Philippine Army.
A simple surrender rite was help on Wednesday at Barangay Buli-Buli which was fascilitated by Sumisip Mayor Gulam Hataman and the local officials of the Sumisip Municipal Hall.
The Abu Sayyaf, led by, Isnilon Hapilon, their leader and recognized "emir" of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, allied with the Maute terror group. However, Hapilon have already fled the conflict-stricken city causing feud between leaders of the terror group in Marawi City.
"This is a definite manifestation that our collaborative efforts with the different local government units and other stakeholders in the province of Basilan are not futile actions," Uy said.
"It was made possible because we in the military and the people of Basilan are on the same page in the pursuit of a lasting peace and continued development befitting every Filipino citizen," he added.
The 11 are now in the custody of the local government unit of Sumisip while waiting for further disposition.
Source: GMA
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