Filtered By: Topstories
News
MILITARY OFFICIAL SAYS

Wanted Maute member arrested in Cagayan de Oro City


Another member of the ISIS-inspired Maute group was arrested early Thursday morning, a military official said.

Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, spokesperson for the martial law implementation in the Eastern Mindanao Command, said Mohammad Noaim Maute alias Abu Jadid was nabbed in Sta. Cruz Macasandig, Cagayan De Oro City by joint military and police personnel.

“At about  5:30  this morning , 15 Jun 17. Combined elements of 403Bde Martial Law Implementing Unit and CDO PNP and CIDU-10  arrested a certain Mohammad Noaim Maute alias Abu Jadid,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Gapay said Abu Jadid is included in Arrest Order 1 dated May 29 issued by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Abu Jadid is also a suspected bomber of the Maute group, Gapay added.

Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, said ability to make bombs is usually acquired by joining the local terror groups who have access to foreign bomb makers.

“Ang kakayahan sa paggawa ng bomba ay nakukuha sa pagsama sa mga grupo tulad ng Maute, BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters), at iba lang local terror group dahil may mga kasama silang nagtuturo,” he said in an interview on GMA News TV’s News To Go.

“‘Yung pagtuturo nangyayari sa tagal ng panahon na nariyan naiiwan ang mga foreign bombers. Itong foreign terrorists na nagpupunta sa Mindanao, mga fugitive nagtatago sa kanilang bansa, ang kanilang ginagawang board and lodging o pinambabayad ay ‘yung pag share ng know-how sa kanilang terroristic activities, isa na diyan ang paggawa ng bomba,” he added.

He said their investigation and initial custodial debriefing is ongoing.

In an interview on dzBB, Gapay said they are very careful with the identification of the individuals they arrest.

An initial police report said Abu Jadid, a resident of Poblacion Butig, Lanao del Sur and an Arabic teacher, used a fake student identification card under the name of Alfaiz P. Mamintal.

Police said Abu Jadid was initially brought to the CdO Police Station 9 for documentation and proper disposition. He admitted that he is the person in the local terrorist group gallery named Abu Jadid.

A person supposedly bearing the same name was arrested five days ago, also in the city, but was later found out to be not Jadid.

On June 9, joint police and military elements arrested the Maute brothers' mother Ominta Romato Maute alias “Farhana” in Masiu, Lanao del Sur.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Farhana's arrest was a big blow to the terrorist group.

“Farhana is known as the local terrorist group's adviser, financier, and provider owing to her vast financial resources drawn locally and abroad. Aside from that, she has strong influence on the Maute children. Hence her arrest deals a severe blow,” Lorenzana said. —with a report from Peewee Bacuño/LBG/RSJ, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT