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MANILA - Politicians linked to the illegal drug trade are allegedly aiding Maute extremists, who have engaged government troops in deadly clashes in Marawi City, the chief of the Philippine National Police said Monday.

Director General Ronald dela Rosa supported an earlier statement of President Rodrigo Duterte on the alleged link between the extremists and politicians who are allegedly on the take.

"Even before yung July 1, pag-assume natin, inannounce natin na mag-surrender iyung drug lords, we received information na lahat ng, karamihan ng drug lords dito sa Metro Manila, Luzon and Visayas ay pumunta doon sa Marawi at nagkaroon sila ng drug summit and they were protected by the Maute Group," PNP chief Director General Bato dela Rosa said in a press briefing.

Smoke billows behind a mosque in a residential neighborhood in Marawi City due to fighting between government soldiers and the Maute militant group, Sunday. Erik De Castro, Reuters

(Even before July 1, when we assumed office, we announced that drug lords would surrender, we received information that many of the drug lords in Metro Manila, Luzon and Visayas went to Marawi for a drug summit and they were protected by the Maute Group.)

"They protect each other, they support each other," he added, but did not elaborate.

Some 100 people have been killed in Marawi City since fighting erupted between government forces and Maute extremists last week, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire Mindanao under martial law.

ABS-CBN News, 29 May 2017