A priest abducted by Islamic militants has appealed to President Duterte for help in a video released today (30 May) on social media.
Fr Teresito “Chito” Suganob was taken hostage, along with at least a dozen parishioners, as guerrillas from the Islamist ‘Maute’ group seized parts of the predominantly Muslim city of Marawi on 23 May in retaliation for a botched raid by Filipino security forces on one of the rebel group’s commanders.
In a video posted on Facebook , Fr Chito says the terrorists are demanding the Philippine government stop its military offensive against them, or else they would execute the prisoners.
“Mr. President, please consider us,” Fr Chito says. “They don’t ask for anything… they just ask that you leave this place peacefully.”
“We are in the midst of this war we are asking your help to please give what they are asking for.”
The priest says that there are 240 hostages, including women and children, with him.
It is unclear when the video was taken, but it does show Fr Chito standing amid destroyed houses, reports CBCP News, the official news service of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
The Bishop of Marawi, Edwin de la Peña, said he received a call on 23 May from a supposed Maute militant who demanded a “unilateral ceasefire”.
“They want a ceasefire and for the military to give them access out of Marawi. Otherwise, they will kill the hostages,” de la Peña told Fides News.
"We are happy to see that Fr Chito, Vicar of Marawi, is alive, but we are afraid of the fate of the hostages, about 200 civilians in all," he added, saying he feared that they will be used as "human shields."
"We have asked for the help of Muslim leaders in Marawi, our friends, while the whole Catholic population is gathered in prayer throughout the country", he continued.
More than 100 people have been killed, most of them militants, according to the military, and around 100,000 of the city's residents have fled, since the violence erupted last week.
More than 40,000 displaced people are attempting to find temporary shelter and food in the areas surrounding the city as a result, report Fides. Catholic communities and civil society associations are reported to be helping to support the refugees.
The government has said today (30 May) that it is close to retaking the city from the Islamic State-linked group.
"We call on the remaining terrorists to surrender while there is an opportunity," a military spokesman, Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, told Reuters.
PICTURE: A screen shot of Fr Chito taken from the video posted on social media in which he appeals for help
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