CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao, Aug. 2 (PNA) — Police have filed charges of rebellion and illegal possession of firearms against two alleged members of the Maute terrorist group in Marawi City as the police continued its clearing up operations with the Army in the besieged city.
Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, police regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said police officers in Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur quickly acted on a tip from civilians about the presence of two suspected jihadists in Barangay Pantar at 4 p.m. Monday.
Sindac identified the suspects as Sailanie Asral Mamaorong, 37, and Mama S. Batara also known as “Mamaorong.”
They have been charged by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CIDG-ARMM).
Citing report from Lanao del Sur police office, Sindac said the town police office and the provincial police office along with elements of the 65th Infantry Battalion arrested the two while in possession of one improvised cal .50 Barret rifle and one improvised M-203 rifle grenade launcher.
According to Police Chief Inspector Leah Cuyco of PRO-ARMM information office, the suspects did not resist arrest and are now in the custody of the PNP CIDG.
Sindac commended the operating troops that lead to the arrest of the two suspects believed to be part of the more than 600 jihadists that laid siege in the Islamic City of Marawi on May 23.
To date, government forces are still battling remnants of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Groups in at least two villages of the city. (EOF/PNA)
