A ROUGH TIMELINE
At around 3:30 pm, a skirmish began near the Mindanao State University (MSU) campus. By 3:37 pm, the campus went on lockdown.
By 4:00 pm, AFP response units showed up at the Mindanao State University premises. Reports relayed shootings taking place inside the shopping mall and the city center near the MSU campus. At the same time, an attack happened within Barangay Lilod.
At around 4:30 pm, a black flag was reported to have been raised in front of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center. The flag is believed to be of ISIS.
By 5:00 pm, Marawi residents claimed that more than half of the city was under Maute’s control.
At 6pm, an hour later, news was brought of the Marawi city jail being raided by Maute gunmen, resulting in the release of several dangerous inmates.
By 6:10 pm, Police Supt. Lemuel Gonda, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 10, confirmed the presence of clashes in Marawi City. Based on an initial report, one cop was wounded in the firefight.
At 7:30 pm, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon stated that the AFP is in full control of the situation. Esperon said they were updating President Rodrigo Duterte, as reports arrived from the Philippines. He also confirmed that the military had four injured soldiers.
Electricity lines were cut at 7:50 pm.
By 8:00 pm, at least four huge fires had broken out in Marawi City. Marawi City Jail, Dansalan College, the Ninoy Aquino School, and Saint Mary’s Church were some of the establishments to have been torched. The military reported that the areas were located outside the “area of military operation,” signifying that sympathizers likely set up the fires. The Maute terrorist group was also reported to have taken hostage a priest, a college professor, and at least three others following the attack, according to the statement of Bishop Edwin dela Peña of the Prelature of Marawi. Dela Peña admitted he was not sure how many in total had been taken hostage.
In a press briefing in Moscow, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said that in response to the ongoing situation in Marawi City, President Rodrigo Duterte had declared martial law on the entire island of Mindanao at around 10 pm. Martial law will be in effect for 60 days. Duterte will leave Russia at 5 am on Wednesday, May 24-Manila time-to return to Manila.
As of 10:30 pm yesterday, the military was still conducting pursuit operations against Hapilon and his men, according to Army 1st Infantry Division Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera.
At around 11:00 pm last night, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reported two soldiers and one police officer killed, while 12 others wounded in the ongoing clashes in Marawi City.
BACKGROUND
Marawi City sits next to Butig town, the lair of the Maute Group. Last year, the Maute Group occupied and raised ISIS’ black flag at the Butig Municipal Hall. It took weeks of military operations before soldiers retook the government building. Isnilon Hapilon reportedly brought some of his men to Lanao del Sur in late 2016 to join the Maute Group. The Abu Sayyaf senior leader, believed to have been severely injured in Butig, Lanao del Sur, in January, reemerged in Marawi City on May 23. Hapilon is believed to be the ISIS leader in Southeast Asia.
UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 2018
The Initiative PH has conducted and sent six batches of donations and family packs to the victims of the Marawi siege. Thank you so much for your continued support!
The Initiative PH 