MANILA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Thursday that an undermined number of the Maute extremists that laid siege to the southern Philippine city of Marawi have offered to surrender.
Lorenzana said a local official, Lanao del Sur Rep. Mauyag Papandayan, relayed to him the pro-Islamic State militants' plan to surrender and give up the fight.
The pro-IS extremists have been fighting the government since May 23, putting up a bitter fight to gain control of the city.
Lorenzana said he welcomes the surrender of the extremists. "I said there's no problem. I told (Papandayan) anytime they want to surrender, they can get out. We won't kill them," Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana did not elaborate on how the Maute extremists reached out to Papandayan to signify their intention to surrender.
Lorenzana said there are less than 100 extremists who are still holed up in the city. On Wednesday, Lorenzana voiced optimism that the conflict may be over this weekend.
