By NICOLE MANAGBANAG and NITZ ARANCON Correspondents PRESIDENT Duterte yesterday ordered the military to pursue its offensives against the Maute terror group in Lanao del Sur, saying he was unafraid of the organization which he earlier confirmed had links to the Isis terrorist network. Duterte said this as he came over to visit and award 11 soldiers, including members of his Presidential Security Group (PSG), that were wounded in the ongoing military operations in Lanao del Sur, and in a roadside bomb attack in Marawi City on Tuesday. Duterte told reporters he was not afraid of the Maute group. “The fight must go on with these people. Hindi ko nakita ang sincerity nila,” he said. He then instructed a military tactical group to intensify offensives in an effort to pin down the Maute group in Lanao del Sur. “I order them not to stop chasing this terrorist group,” Duterte said. Against the advice of the PSG because of the Tuesday ambush in Marawi, Duterte flew earlier in the day to Lanao del Sur and assess the progress of ther military operations. He then flew in to this city in the asfternoon to visit the wounded soldiers and PSG men, and to give them wounded personnel medals and cash incentives. Six of the wounded soldiers are being treated at the Camp Evangelista Hospital while five others are confined at the Polymedic Plaza in Kauswagan. Duterte said he came over in order to recognize the efforts of soldiers who are willing to die for the country against the enemies of the state. The wounded are Corporals Vincent Paniza, Joselito Gallentes, Rodel Genova and Edward de Leon, Privates 1st class James Gonzalez and Fernando Corpuz, Sgts. Jesus Garcia and Eric Ubalde, Ssgts. Eufrociho Payumo Jr. and Renie Damasco, and Capt. Reynado Zamora. On his hospital bed, Cpl. Paniza,  who survived the Marawi bomb attack, said he was grateful to Duterte for taking time to visit them and for giving them awards. Camp Evangelista spokesman Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez said the wounded soldiers were out of danger and were recovering. On Tuesday, Duterte told a crowd in Nueva Ecija: “There is really no problem... I can order the invasion of Jolo and give the order, the last man standing. I can burn Jolo. I can burn Basilan... Lahat ng bahay makita ko (all the houses that I see) with the howitzers and the …  but what would it bring us? If you think I will wipe out humanity there (and) we will at last enjoy the blessings of peace, what you will get in return may be terrorism and mind you that Maute (group in Lanao del Sur) who’s fighting the government troops there, there’s a raging battle going on (there).” The Maute group has been suspected to be affiliating with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or Isis. It attacked Butig town in Lanao del Sur in February and swooped down on the town again in Nov. 24, where it raised the black flag of the Isis at the old town hall. Duterte on Monday confirmed the Maute group and the Isis were “connected.” “I just wanted you to know the dimensions of it all. We are not good today because finally, finally the intelligence community advised me that Isis has... connected with a group in the Philippines called the Maute. There is a raging war now in Lanao.” Initial reports from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Butig said at least 10,000 residents fled to neighboring Lumbayanague town or Marawi City to avoid getting caught in a crossfire between government forces and the Maute group. Drieza Liningding, secretary-general of the Bangsamoro National Movement for Peace and Development (BNMPD) and co-founder of the militant youth organization Free The Bangsamoro Movement, said he doubted claims about the Marawi bombing. He called for an investigation. “If a bomb did explode, that would have been heard in the nearby barangays. Never again. Do not use us to declare martial law!” Lingingding wrote on his Facebook wall. Mindanews quoted Liningding, a Duterte supporter, as saying that he went near the reported blast site and was told by residents that they heard no bomb explosion--only soldiers firing their weapons. (with reports from mindanews)