EVIDENCE has emerged Islamic State is attempting to create a caliphate in The Philippines in more than just a name, with a seized mobile phone revealing a plot to overrun a city with foreign fighters in the same way Islamic State did in Iraq and Syria.

Late last month the southern Filipino island of Mindanao was placed under martial law after deadly clashes between the military and militants largely from the violent Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

But the government has now confirmed the assault was designed to create an actual Islamic State caliphate, with a seized mobile phone revealing a videoed plot to take over a major city and build a power base in much the same way Islamic State did in Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria.

On the video is one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, Isnilon Hapilon. The former leader of the militant Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, Isnilon is now a purported Islamic State chief who changed his name to Abu Abdullah al-Filipini and pledged allegiance to Islamic State two years ago.

In the clip, on the phone seized on May 23 from a suspected terrorist safe house in the southern city of Marawi, he is seen discussing with other plotters what their goals had to be.

Late last month violence erupted when militant extremists launched an unprecedented attack on Marawi but now it’s being revealed the city, where clashes continue today, was to be the centre of Islamic State’s regional base.

Filipino military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano confirmed the new evidence showed “intention of not only rebellion, but actually dismembering a portion of the Philippine territory by occupying the whole of Marawi city and establishing their own Islamic state or government”.

In the past two weeks, 180 people have been killed in Marawi including foreign Islamic State fighters from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Chechnya and Yemen.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has already warned that The Philippines was likely to be the stage for an Islamic State caliphate with many battled-hardened Islamic State fighters fleeing the Middle East to lead training camps in the restive Filipino south.

Yesterday US-backed Syrian troops began the assault on Islamic State’s last stronghold, its self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa.

Australian Defence Force personnel have been working with the Filipino military in recent weeks in training programs notably in sniper and spotting methods.