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[av_heading heading=’3 Maute suspects nabbed at Iloilo port’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Monday, June 19, 2017
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ILOILO City – Three suspected members of the Maute terror group were arrested on board M/V St. Therese of Child Jesus yesterday afternoon at the port of Iloilo.
The ship was from Cagayan de Oro City and bound for Manila but had a stopover in Iloilo City, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that effected the arrest.
Pending interrogation and validation, the coastguard and police declined to identify the three persons. However, the commander of the PCG in Northern Mindanao, Captain Leopoldo Panopio, said one was a sister of the Mautes.
As of this writing, the woman and her two male companions were at PCG-Iloilo undergoing tactical interrogation.
According to Police Regional Office 6 spokesperson Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, sea marshals were already monitoring the three persons’ movements on the ship while still in Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday night.
Because the woman used fake identities it took some time to verify her identity, said Panopio.
After the Maute sister’s identity was confirmed, Panopio said, the woman and her two male companions were arrested past 3 p.m.
It was unclear as of this writing if the three persons’ intended destination was Iloilo City or Manila.
Gorero could only speculate yesterday. “Probably to hide,” he said when asked about why the three left Mindanao.
According to Panopio, the woman also confirmed her identity to the coastguard.
One of woman’s male companions had an amputated leg and was using a crutch. Sources said authorities were determining if the leg was recently amputated and if this was a result of the military’s campaign against the Maute group in Marawi City.
The three were arrested by virtue of Arrest Order No. 2 issued by Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana, according to Lieutenant Senior Grade Edison Diaz, acting station commander of PCG-Iloilo.
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) emphasized the importance of enhancing Western Visayas’ maritime security and the capability of the intelligence community vis-à-vis the Maute group’s activities.
“Kun makalusot sa aton maritime security, segurohon naton nga pagtapak nila sa duta sa aton mga isla, ang aton komunidad alerto para mareport agad kag maaksyunan kag ma-cordon sila,” said Major General Jon Aying, 3ID commander.
According to the 3ID, it had not monitored any threat to Western Visayas from the Maute terrorist group.
“Some fear that the terrorists might seek refuge in the Visayas because of the military operations in Mindanao. That would be foolhardy for the terrorists to do. They have no civilian support in Western Visayas. Look at what happened to the Abu Sayyaf in Bohol,” said Aying.
He also described as remote the possibility that the conflict in Marawi City would spill over to Western Visayas.
The Maute group does not have sympathizers in the region, said Aying./PN
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