THE military understi-mated the strength of the Maute Group that begun consolidating its forces in Lanao years ago, Marawi Mayor Majul Gandamra said here on Thursday. Gandamra said the terrorist group started building up its forces long before he became Marawi’s mayor even as he blamed authorities for not giving much attention to the problem much earlier. He said government troops first engaged the Maute Group in an encounter in Butig, Lanao del Sur, and then made the wrong assessments about it. “The government did not anticipate that the Maute Group would attack Marawi and that it was capable of this much damage,” Gandamra said. But he said the military was slowly succeeding in its clearing operations, and that there were only 40 to 50 armed Maute Group members left as of Thursday in Marawi’s commercial district. Gandamra said the terrorist group’s use of civilians as human shields was what really slowed down military operations. He said intelligence reports indicate that one of the hostages, Roman Catholic priest Chito Suganob, is still alive. (nitz arancon)