Priest among 14 hostages taken in siege of Philippines city

Manila: Muslim extremists abducted a Catholic priest and more than a dozen churchgoers while laying siege to a southern Philippine city overnight, burning buildings, ambushing soldiers and hoisting flags of the Islamic State group, officials said Wednesday. President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the southern third of the nation and warned he would enforce it harshly, reports AP.
The violence erupted Tuesday night after the army raided the hideout of Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf commander who is on Washington's list of most-wanted terrorists with a reward of up to $5 million for his capture. The militants called for reinforcements from an allied group, the Maute, and some 50 gunmen managed to enter the city of Marawi.
"We are in a state of emergency," Duterte said after landing in Manila from a visit to Moscow, adding that skirmishes were continuing. "I have a serious problem in Mindanao and the ISIS footprints are everywhere."
He said he may declare martial law elsewhere in the Philippines if militants expand their attacks.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, and Marawi Bishop Edwin de la Pena said the militants forced their way into the Marawi Cathedral and seized a priest, 10 worshippers and three church workers.
The priest, Father Chito, and the others had no role in the conflict, Villegas said.
"He was not a combatant. He was not bearing arms. He was a threat to none," Villegas said of Chito. "His capture and that of his companions violates every norm of civilized conflict."

Priest among 14 hostages taken in siege of Philippines city

Manila: Muslim extremists abducted a Catholic priest and more than a dozen churchgoers while laying siege to a southern Philippine city overnight, burning buildings, ambushing soldiers and hoisting flags of the Islamic State group, officials said Wednesday. President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the southern third of the nation and warned he would enforce it harshly, reports AP. The violence erupted Tuesday night after the army raided the hideout of Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf commander who is on Washingtons list of most-wanted terrorists with a reward of up to $5 million for his capture. The militants called for reinforcements from an allied group, the Maute, and some 50 gunmen managed to enter the city of Marawi. We are in a state of emergency, Duterte said after landing in Manila from a visit to Moscow, adding that skirmishes were continuing. I have a serious problem in Mindanao and the ISIS footprints are everywhere. He said he may declare martial law elsewhere in the Philippines if militants expand their attacks. Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, and Marawi Bishop Edwin de la Pena said the militants forced their way into the Marawi Cathedral and seized a priest, 10 worshippers and three church workers. The priest, Father Chito, and the others had no role in the conflict, Villegas said. He was not a combatant. He was not bearing arms. He was a threat to none, Villegas said of Chito. His capture and that of his companions violates every norm of civilized conflict.