TEMPO.CO, Marawi - As many as 17 Indonesian citizens in the city of Marawi, Mindanao Province, the Philipines, refused to evacuate. They chose to stay although the Philippine military kept on launching attacks against Maute militia affiliated to ISIS.
Maute group, pledged loyalty to ISIS, since Tuesday has attacked the city inhabited by 200,000 residents, of which the majority are Muslims. The fierce battle between the state’s military and the militia has taken 46 lives consisting of 15 military officials and 31 members of the militia
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed military emergency status in Mindanao Province and planned to expand it to the entire Philippines.
Read: ISIS Militants from Indonesia Die in Marawi
Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed there are 17 Indonesians in the province. One has raised a family and the remaining 16 are a group of Jamaah Tabligh. “They are in good condition and they stay near the local precinct,” Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said in Jakarta on Friday, May 26.
Arrmanatha explained that the 16 Indonesians have communicated with Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Davao, Mindanao. Davao KJRI offered to evacuate them, but they refused. “They still want to stay there,” he added.
The 16 Indonesians are from Bandung. In a letter addressed to Falahul Muslemiin or the Philippine Ulema Council with Abubakar As-Siddiq Mosque letterhead, it is stated that they are Muslims and they come in peace under Zemidar Handris as the leader of the group.
The letter was signed by Alibasher N. Usman as Committee of Information and Foreign Visit, along with a CC to Brigade Command of the Philippine Military Campo Ranao, Marawi city.
The Philippine Military revealed that there were foreign members of the militia from Indonesia and Malaysia killed in the attack in Marawi. Arrmanatha said that Indonesian government are still verifying such information and so are the Malaysian government.
BERNAMA | REUTERS | NATALIA SANTI
