The Joint Task Force Marawi, which supervises the military operation here against the Islamic State-inspired Maute group and Abu Sayyaf bandits, said these claims were made by hostages who were either rescued or have escaped from captivity. “All these hostages revealed that they were forced to convert to Islam or be killed,” the JTF Marawi said in a statement. Secretary Abul Khayr Alonto, the chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, earlier said the acts of the Maute group and its allies did not conform to the teachings of Islam. The hostages, Herrera said, were also being used to forcibly enter houses and haul ammunition, firearms, cash, gold and jewelry. For donation from overseas:Inquirer Foundation Corp account:Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco De Oro (BDO) Current Account No: 007960018860Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 04, 2017 07:18 UTC