Abducted Catholic priest rescued by Philippine military in 'final push' to recapture Marawi

Philippine troops have rescued a Roman Catholic priest, who has been held hostage in the southern city of Marawi for almost four months by Islamic State-linked rebels, as the military launched its "final push" to recapture the city.

Fr. Teresito "Chito" Soganub, the vicar general of Marawi, was kidnapped, along with other Christians, when rebels laid siege to the Saint Mary's Parish as the clashes broke out in the city on May 23.

The priest and a teacher named Lordvin Ocopio were able to escape from their captors on Saturday night while they were engaged in a firefight against government forces.

Secretary Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, said that the troops were able to rescue the two after the battle to recapture a key mosque and another Islamic building that has been used as a command center by the rebels.

"The duo revealed [initially to the rescuing troops] that they escaped when their captors had a heavy firefight against the government forces in the said location," said Rear Adm. Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Navforwem), as reported by Inquirer.

"And in the course of fleeing, they were identified by the military and they were brought to a safer place," he added.

The militants were reportedly forced to abandon the Bato Mosque in Marawi on Saturday afternoon as the troops continued to push forward in the battle area.

Soganub was last seen in May in a propaganda video, in which he urged the government to stop the military operation in Marawi in exchange for sparing the lives of hostages. At the time, he said that he was with about 200 other hostages. "We want to live another day. We want to live another month," the priest pleaded in the video while standing alone in front of debris and partially burned buildings.

According to the military, the priest had been helping the militants manufacture improvised explosive devices.

A total of 149 members of government forces have died in combat, along with 47 civilians, while more than 670 militants have been killed in the clashes as of Monday.

Military chief General Eduardo Año said that there are about 10 foreigners, who are still in the battle among some 50–60 rebels.

Año noted that the seizing of the mosque was an "enormous" military gain because it served as a battle command center of the militants. He said that the government troops will continue to "press on relentlessly until conclusion."

"We urge the remaining terrorists, especially former hostages turned fighters, to endeavor to communicate with the military and surrender while they still have time," the general went on to say.