Duterte warns of harsh measures as civilians flee fighting

PANTAR, Philippines: Thousands of civilians fled fighting in the Philippines on Wednesday as troops sought to contain Islamic State-linked militants who took over large parts of a city, set building ablaze and took hostage a Catholic priest and other Christians.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on his native island of Mindanao following a failed raid by soldiers on Tuesday on a hideout of the Maute militant group, which triggered clashes and chaos across the largely Muslim city of Marawi. Duterte has long threatened martial law to destroy the Maute group and the allied Abu Sayyaf, which he warns are trying to create an Islamic State presence in the Christian-majority Philippines.

He says they must be stopped before it is too late.  He cut short a visit to Russia and warned there would be a tough response, likening the situation to the 1970s rule of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, remembered by many Filipinos as one of the darkest chapters of their recent history.

Duterte said martial law under Marcos was "very good" and he might consider more security measures elsewhere in the Philippines.