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| Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Soldiers {File Photo) |
By AJ Bolando
MANILA, Philippines — Endorsing the idea that the attack in Marawi City was an "invasion," the government said on Friday that foreign terrorists were killed in the clash which has so far claimed 44 lives.
Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said at a televised press briefing in Davao City that militants from neighboring countries in Southeast Asia region were among the fatalities in the the firefight since Tuesday.
"We are continuously verifying that there have been a number of them who have been killed," Padilla said.
"There is a certain information that we received which confirmed the killing of 12 members of this group and half of that are foreign terrorist Malaysians, Indonesians, and one other," he added.
At the same news conference, Solicitor General Jose Calida said he thinks the inclusion of foreign terrorists among the attackers fulfills one of the requirements in the Constitution to justify the declaration of martial law.
"What is happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens," Calida told reporters in Manila. "It has transmogrified into an invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of [the Islamic State]."
Read the full story at PhilStar