Source: Associated Press
By JIM GOMEZ
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Filipino Roman Catholic priest taken hostage last year by Islamic State group-linked militants recounted Friday how military airstrikes helped crush an extremist siege, but said a Muslim autonomy deal is crucial in preventing new bloodshed.
The Rev. Teresito Soganub recalled his 116-day captivity in a rare appearance at a Manila news conference, where he described how he and other hostages constantly feared for their survival amid the airstrikes and gunbattles in southern Marawi city.
The 57-year-old priest said he and other hostages were forced by their captors to collect explosive powder from firecrackers and unexploded military ordnance, which the militants used to make improvised bombs.
Gunfire and explosions repeatedly shook the ground and shattered buildings and mosques, where the militants ordered them to lie low during intense fighting, said Soganub, who couldn’t recall how many near-death moments he experienced.
Categories: Asia, Catholic Church, ISIS, Philippines, The Muslim Times