The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has begun sending its engineering battalions as part of its preparation to rehabilitate Marawi City.

“The AFP chief of staff has directed the mobilization of engineering units in preparation for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and rebuilding of Marawi as soon as the conflict is (ended),” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said Tuesday.

Although AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Ano ordered the preparation for the rehabilitation of the city, Padilla refused to give a timeline to complete their operation in Marawi.

“We’re not providing any timelines, knowing the complexity of the environment but we will do our best to expedite it,” he said.

“At each day goes we are getting closer to totally liberating Marawi because we continually are working to degrade the capacity of the enemy to hold onto space and to hold, hold on to their spaces and at the same time sustain their fight,” Padilla added.

Padilla did not say how many engineering personnel will be mobilized in Marawi but he mentioned the military will deploy at least two battalions.

“It cannot be done by the military alone. It has to be a whole of government doing the rehabilitation, reconstruction and rebuilding. So we will work hand in hand with everyone else but we can provide the lead initially until such that time that the whole of government and other agencies that can help are still mobilizing,” he said.

Padilla said the military does not yet have an estimate on the extent of damage caused by the armed conflict in the city.

“I have no estimate because those who are doing the estimate cannot go in yet because of the fire fight,” he said.

Zia Alonto Adiong, first district assemblyman of the Autonmous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said they do not have estimates on the extent of the damage but he emphasized that massive damage is expected.

“It’s going to be massive because of the damage brought about by the air strike and bombardment on both civilian and government properties so it is really a big damage,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS