The chief of the Philippine National Police yesterday said the Marawi City siege confirms intelligence reports that drug lords are being protected by the Maute Group.
“They support each other, they protect each other,” PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa during a press briefing.
Dela Rosa vowed that both Maute and their narco-politician backers will be subject of intense police and military operations.
After the anti-drugs war was declared in July last year, Dela Rosa cited an intelligence report that drug lords from Metro Manila and Luzon have fled to Marawi City.
In the same briefing, the PNP chief said he will recommend the lifting of Martial Law in Mindanao as soon as the situation in Marawi City normalizes.
But right now, Dela Rosa said it is too early to predict the outcome of the ongoing police and military operations against the Maute Group since a lot of its fighters are still holed up in Marawi City.
“Why not? It would become unnecessary again if there’s no problem and it will continue,” said Dela Rosa in response to the question whether or not he would recommend the lifting of Martial Law. (Aaron R. Recuenco)
