By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed his support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law over the island of Mindanao, following the attempt by the Maute group to takeover the city of Marawi two weeks ago.
Zubiri, who was in Bacolod City yesterday, indicated he was among the first senators to receive the initial report on the terror group.
“Initially, we were skeptical of what was going,” he said, adding, they thought there were between 50 to 100 bandits. However, a briefing from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND), he noted, gave them a clearer illustration of the situation on the ground.
He said they were shocked to learn Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader Isnilon Hapilon, together with the Maute brothers, members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and Ansar Al-Khilafah Philippines had previously met and planned the takeover.
The senator also revealed the combined terror group, which have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS), were planning to use Marawi City as a staging area for the expansion of a caliphate in Mindanao.
He speculated the terror group accepted around $1 million, presumably from IS, which was used for planning, training, and accumulating firearms.
“They were planning to takeover other cities like Cagayan De Oro, Iligan, and
Ozamis if they successfully took over Marawi,” Zubiri said and, since a “rebellion” was already underway, he stressed, a majority of Mindanao politicians back Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law.
The people of Mindanao, he explained, have grown tired of conflicts and the intimidation of corrupt politicians, through the use of private armed groups.
Zubiri, however, also cautioned Duterte to handle the situation carefully, as the Maute group’s second objective is to allow government forces to lay siege on the city and destroy it. This could, he noted, spark a conflict between Christians and Muslims in the country.
He clarified, the current situation in Marawi is not a conflict between the two religious groups.
The senator also urged Duterte to conclude the government’s peace process with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the New People’s Army (NPA) as, he believes, it will assist in the war against IS-linked terror groups and removing the “feudal system” adopted by corrupt politicians in Mindanao.
Zubiri also claimed the NPA promised to defend areas they currently control in Mindanao against the Maute group, despite earlier statements vowing to increase attacks against government forces because of the Martial Law declaration.
When asked about the possible link between the Maute terror group and illegal drugs in Mindanao, Zubiri pointed out the primary supply of illegal drugs on the island are from Lanao del Sur, where Marawi City is located.
“Sometimes you wonder, how could a certain individual have the money, even though there is relatively no industry in the province,” Zubiri said.
The senator asserted, it is possible the Maute terror group has links to the illegal drug trade in Mindanao, which may be used to fund their terrorist activities./WDJ