Atleast 200 Maute supporters in arrest order - AFP
Atleast 200 persons, including leaders and members of the Maute Group and politicians supporting them, are subjects of arrest orders issued amid clashes in Marawi City, Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año said yesterday.
The conflict, which was on its 17th day yesterday, triggered the proclamation of martial law in Mindanao.
The orders were issued by Defense Secretary and martial law administrator Delfin Lorenzana on May 29 and June 5.
Año, martial law implementor, could not say if there are incumbent officials in the two lists.
“It’s combination of names of politicians, private citizens, members of Maute, leaders. There are two lists and we are actually now implementing the service of the warrant to these people,” he said,
Año said the lists include the owner of the house where Maute leaders planned the attack on Marawi together with Isnilon Hapilon, a senior Abu Sayyaf leader and supposed leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the Philippines.
A video showing Hapilon and Maute leaders planning the attack was reportedly recovered by soldiers on May 23, when the clashes erupted. Government forces were to raid the house and arrest Hapilon that day but he escaped.
Año said the video was taken two or three days before the raid, and was probably intended for ISIS leaders in the Middle East. He said the group was planning to spread the video through social media for propaganda purposes.
Año said they have identified the owner of the house. “He is included in the list,” Año said, without identifying the house owner.
Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the lists include Cayamora Maute and former Marawi City mayor Fajad Salic who are now in government custody.
Cayamora, father of Maute leaders Abdullah and Omar Maute, was arrested Tuesday in Davao City with four companions. Salic, 57, was nabbed at a checkpoint in Barangay San Martin in Villanueva town, Misamis Oriental Wednesday night.
Cayamora and his companions -- his second wife Kongan Alfonso Balawag, his daughter Norjannah Maute, Norjannah’s husband Benzarali Tingao and driver Aljon Salazar Ismael -- were flown in a military plane to Manila yesterday.
Padilla said Cayamora and his companions arrived in Manila from Davao at around 12:10 a.m. and were turned over to a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Bicutan, Taguig City at around 1 a.m.
Padilla said the five were transferred to Manila due to security reasons.
“In Metro Manila, we will be able to guard them more efficiently,” he said.
Padilla said Cayamora supported “some activities” of the Maute Group and was seen in Marawi “directing operations at the height of the armed conflict.’
Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, deputy commander and spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, cited “security reasons” for Cayamora’s transfer.
“He is the patriarch and the head of the Maute clan. And as such, he is considered a high-value individual and, at the same time, high-risk individual also,” he said adding there had been efforts by the Maute to rescue detained members.
Año said the resistance of the Maute Group has waned. He said remnants of the group are confined in Barangay Bangolo.
“As of this time, we noticed that the resistance is getting lesser and I think we have already weakened the amount of their resistance,” said Año of the remaining Maute men, who he earlier estimated to be around 100 men.
“So in a few more days it will be over, we’ll be able to clear all these areas. We’ve confined the enemy in one area in Bangolo… it would be over before the 60-days provision of martial law,” he said.
The conflict has left 138 Maute members, 39 government troopers, and 20 civilians dead.
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| AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Año |
The conflict, which was on its 17th day yesterday, triggered the proclamation of martial law in Mindanao.
The orders were issued by Defense Secretary and martial law administrator Delfin Lorenzana on May 29 and June 5.
Año, martial law implementor, could not say if there are incumbent officials in the two lists.
“It’s combination of names of politicians, private citizens, members of Maute, leaders. There are two lists and we are actually now implementing the service of the warrant to these people,” he said,
Año said the lists include the owner of the house where Maute leaders planned the attack on Marawi together with Isnilon Hapilon, a senior Abu Sayyaf leader and supposed leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the Philippines.
A video showing Hapilon and Maute leaders planning the attack was reportedly recovered by soldiers on May 23, when the clashes erupted. Government forces were to raid the house and arrest Hapilon that day but he escaped.
Año said the video was taken two or three days before the raid, and was probably intended for ISIS leaders in the Middle East. He said the group was planning to spread the video through social media for propaganda purposes.
Año said they have identified the owner of the house. “He is included in the list,” Año said, without identifying the house owner.
Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesman, said the lists include Cayamora Maute and former Marawi City mayor Fajad Salic who are now in government custody.
Cayamora, father of Maute leaders Abdullah and Omar Maute, was arrested Tuesday in Davao City with four companions. Salic, 57, was nabbed at a checkpoint in Barangay San Martin in Villanueva town, Misamis Oriental Wednesday night.
Cayamora and his companions -- his second wife Kongan Alfonso Balawag, his daughter Norjannah Maute, Norjannah’s husband Benzarali Tingao and driver Aljon Salazar Ismael -- were flown in a military plane to Manila yesterday.
Padilla said Cayamora and his companions arrived in Manila from Davao at around 12:10 a.m. and were turned over to a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Bicutan, Taguig City at around 1 a.m.
Padilla said the five were transferred to Manila due to security reasons.
“In Metro Manila, we will be able to guard them more efficiently,” he said.
Padilla said Cayamora supported “some activities” of the Maute Group and was seen in Marawi “directing operations at the height of the armed conflict.’
Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, deputy commander and spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, cited “security reasons” for Cayamora’s transfer.
“He is the patriarch and the head of the Maute clan. And as such, he is considered a high-value individual and, at the same time, high-risk individual also,” he said adding there had been efforts by the Maute to rescue detained members.
Año said the resistance of the Maute Group has waned. He said remnants of the group are confined in Barangay Bangolo.
“As of this time, we noticed that the resistance is getting lesser and I think we have already weakened the amount of their resistance,” said Año of the remaining Maute men, who he earlier estimated to be around 100 men.
“So in a few more days it will be over, we’ll be able to clear all these areas. We’ve confined the enemy in one area in Bangolo… it would be over before the 60-days provision of martial law,” he said.
The conflict has left 138 Maute members, 39 government troopers, and 20 civilians dead.
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