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[av_heading heading=’New Islamic State emir in SEA?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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Tuesday, November 7, 2017
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MANILA – The Department of National Defense was verifying reports that Malaysian terrorist Amin Baco was the new Islamic State emir in Southeast Asia.
“We are still looking for Amin Baco. We heard the news that he could be the successor of Isnilon (Hapilon) as the emir of those terrorists,” Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said at the sidelines of the department’s 78th founding anniversary ceremony yesterday at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Baco was not as high-profile as Hapilon. His name does not appear on intelligence reports or lists of active terrorists, Lorenzana said.
But Philippine National Police Ronald Dela Rosa spoke about Baco as the new IS leader in Southeast Asia with apparent certainty.
“Siya (Baco) ngayon ang nag-assume sa position ni Isnilon Hapilon hindi lang as leader of Maute group but also as the emir of ISIS Southeast Asia,” Dela Rosa told a news conference in Camp Crame, using the other name of the international terrorist network.
Police identified Baco as a Malaysian bomber trained by slain terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, or “Marwan.”
“Baco is one of the longest-staying terrorists in the Philippines,” Dela Rosa said. “He’s with Marwan for a long time so isa siya sa pinaka-experienced na foreign terrorist fighters in Philippines.”
Police got the information on Baco from Mohammad Ilham Syahputra, an alleged Indonesian terrorist who took part in the Maute-led siege in Marawi City, said Dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa also estimated that around 39 Maute group stragglers were still hiding in Marawi.
Lorenzana said they were pursuing Baco and other remaining stragglers after the Maute group and its allies splintered after military offensives led to the death of their leaders.
“Kalat-kalat na sila. Hinahabol namin sila. Kung mahuhuli namin siya e di maganda,” said the Defense secretary.
The military cannot say for certain how many Maute stragglers remain in Marawi as the latter just pop out of their hideouts in ones or twos, he said. “They could fire and hide. The problem now is only to pursue them.”
Around 923 Maute group terrorists and allies were killed in the five-month battle against government forces that started on May 23.
Some 165 soldiers and police officers were killed in the war that ended on Oct. 23. (Philippine News Agency and Adrian Stewart Co/PN)
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