What in heaven’s name was that Marawi siege?
Were the Maute brothers the new version of gentle terrorists
or were they rebels without a cause? If the AFP is correct; more than 700
terrorists were dead and for what? I am still puzzling over what was their
goal. Prewar videos were shown planning to take over the city but it didn’t
show what was their aim. Were they paid to simply destroy the city? Why was
Hapilon alone? Where are his Tausug fighters from the famed Abu Sayyaf terror
group? Are the Abu Sayyaf bandits decimated that forced Hapilon to seek refuge
in Marawi?
Long before the Marawi siege; the government was already engaged
in an all-out war in Sulu and Basilan against the Abu Sayyaf. Is the government
finally winning over terror and other lawless elements? Will the NPA next to go
extinct?
I am left scratching my head wondering why they did what
they did. If their goal was parallel with the Middle East ISIS; they did
everything wrong from the start meaning they were not being properly coached.
They burned Dansalan College, the catholic church and other places that forewarned
people to run. If their goal was to declare Marawi City an Islamic State,
allowing people to leave was a great mistake. How can you declare a city
without people a State? They should have taken the entire city’s population a
hostage. They should have mined and blockaded all the bridges and isolated the
main city from across the river. If needed, they should have blown up the
bridges. With people still in the city; the government would have rendered air
support useless and the war would have dragged on for years not months.
As Marawians, let’s take comfort in the knowledge that it
could have been far worst. Destroyed buildings can be rebuilt and the
government is doing everything it can to do just that. Maybe it is just Allah’s
mysterious way of doing better things. Nothing in the world is free. There is
always something to pay for something better in return.
The terrorists probably expected the Maranaws to rally
behind them but when the people started running and the terror group let them, their
cause whatever it was, was lost. They should have realized that they couldn’t
fight the AFP bullet for bullet sniper for sniper because the government has
endless supply of men and firepower. Resistance was futile. They should have
abandoned the city in the early days and return to their lairs in the mountains
of Butig to fight another day. What a waste and all for nothing…!
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