“Uwian na, may nanalo na!”: Marawi soldiers cheered as they prepare to go home after concluding bloody war against terrorists

“Uwian na, may nanalo na!”



With a sweet smile on their faces as a sign of relief, soldiers assigned at Marawi City cheered together as they started to move back home after President Rodrigo Duterte has declared the city as “terrorist-free.”



With only a few terrorist left to be neutralized, it is safe to say that the government forces led by Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Army have won the 5-month long battle against the ISIS-inspired Maute group.



In an exclusive interview with Jessica Sojo of GMA 7, one soldier said, “Salamat po sa Panginoon at ginabayan kami sa pakikipaglaban sa mga Maute at maraming salamat po sa inyong mga suporta.”



Officers like Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Tampu showed his battle uniform decorated with a silver cross medal which represents the lives the group has saved from the bloody battle.



“Ang ibig pong sabihin nito ‘yung mga accomplishment po natin sa mga hostages na na-save po natin sa main battle area, which is a total of 34 po iyun na na-save po natin,” Tampu said.



However, efforts to fully neutralize the remaining 20 to 30 terrorists continuous as they remained relentless beyond the Mapadi bridge which serves as the boundary between safe zone and the main battle area.

“Hanggang ngayon, may bakbakan parin,” Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Force Ranao, said.

The President’s declaration that Marawi is now liberated from Maute group prompted after the successful assault and death of two top-ranking terrorist leaders Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon.



Meanwhile, the first batch of soldiers including members of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division already flew back to Manila, the said unit was also part of the first units sent at Marawi City when the war broke on May 23, 2017.