MANILA, July 31 — Steps are now underway to ensure that no additional troops will be sick with dengue, diarrhea and other water-borne diseases while battling Maute Group remnants in Marawi City.
This was the assurance given by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla when asked on what steps the military are doing to prevent these diseases from infecting soldiers deployed in the above-mentioned city.
This includes cleaning and possible fumigation of the quarters being used by troops, he added.
Sanitary conditions in the city has been ideal for various diseases as garbage, human remains and others remain uncollected due to the heavy fighting.
Fighting in the area has been raging since May 23 when government forces made a botched attempt to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader and ISIS “emir” Isnilon Hapilon.
As of this posting, the number of government troops killed in the ongoing operations in Marawi City has been placed at 114 with Maute Group killed at 482.
Civilians executed or killed by the bandits are still placed at 45.
On on the water-borne diseases, Padilla assured the public that sufficient supplies of clean and potable water is being provided to all front-line troops.
But he added that it is possible that soldiers are augmenting this supplies with locally, through wells or stored rain water, hence, the sudden influx of diseases.
Earlier, reports claimed that 25 troops have fallen ill with dengue, diarrhea, and typhoid while battling Maute Group remnants in Marawi City. (Priam F. Nepomuceno/PNA)
