29 May Saber denies report over Maute Group taking over APMC
Source: Hesham T. Abolais
Amai Pakpak Medical Center (APMC) chief of hospital, Dr. Amer Saber, said that the report that the hospital was taken over by the members of the Maute Group was not true.
In an interview from SunStar, Saber disclosed that one member of the Maute Group was injured and came to the hospital to ask for medical assistance. Saber also noted the courtesy of the rebel group upon entering the hospital before asking to bring in their injured member.
While their member was being treated, four or five of their armed members stayed outside and guarded the hospital. However, the patient did not survive due to the gravity of injuries from their prior encounter with the military.
On giving light to the firing incident that happened at the hospital, Saber said that it only took place when a police car came about the same time as the Maute group did. The person on board the car was Senior Inspector Freddie Solar, the intelligence unit chief of Marawi City Police. Who brought his wife to the hospital to seek medical treatment for her appendicitis.
Following that, policemen were then taken as hostages by the Maute group who were guarding the hospital and a shoot out happened.
During the shootout, Solar was shot and later brought inside the hospital but later died due to blood loss.
In the morning of Wednesday, the rebel group left the hospital.
Before the encounter between the Maute group and the authorities in the hospital, Saber ordered some of his hospital staff, especially those who were Christian, to move out of Marawi City especially to protect themselves from the rebel group who were said to be targeting Christian residents.
Saber assures that despite the bombing incidents and clashes between the military, civilians and the Maute group, their hospital was spared from the violence and is still giving medical assistance to patients coming from around Marawi City.
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