Maute patriarch, 3 others nabbed in Davao checkpoint

Four people, including the father of the Maute brothers blamed for the attack of the Maute group in Marawi City, were arrested by the police on Tuesday at a checkpoint in Davao City.

Cayamora Macaraya Maute is the father of Abdullah Romato and Omar Cayam Maute, who are leading the ISIS-inspired Maute group in its standoff against the military in Marawi City.

According to a report by GMA Davao's Tek Ocampo on "24 Oras," the elder Maute was nabbed together with his second wife Kongan Alfonso Balawag, daughter Norjannah Balawag Maute, and son-in-law Benzarali Tingao.

"As a patriarch and the father of the Maute brothers...I guess he can still persuade his sons to stop the fighting in Marawi and once and for all surrender to the government," regional military spokesman Brigadier General Gilbert Gapay told reporters.

According to Task Force Davao, the group was on board a van when they were hailed at a checkpoint in Toril district around 7 a.m.

Authorities reportedly became suspicious when they saw an individual inside the van covered in cloth, which they later verified as the elder Maute based on the gallery of pictures distributed to policemen.

At least P360,000 in cash, a hand grenade, and a caliber .45 pistol were recovered from the van.

Maute admitted that he is one of the leaders of the Maute group and the father of Maute brothers behind the Marawi siege.

The van's driver, Aljon Ismael Salazar, for his part, said he was unaware of the terror links of his passenger, saying he only picked them up in Cotabato City and was told they are en route to Davao City for Maute's medical check-up. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News