MARAWI CITY (MindaNews / 03 April) – Government troops killed three alleged supporters of the Islamic State-aligned Dawlah Islamiya and arrested seven others during a joint operation on Sunday in Barangay Matampay l Dumarpa, Bubong, Lanao del Sur, officials said.
In a press conference here late Sunday afternoon, Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, director of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said the troops were serving a search warrant in the village at around 2 a.m., but the suspects allegedly resisted.
Judge Alberto Quinto, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 21 in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, issued the search warrant against Sultan Macalawan Macarambon Maulana, also known as Maulana Macarambon, Saidomar Pangcat Acob, Saidomar Ibrahim Bandas and Saudi Albair Cali for alleged violation of Republic Act (RA) 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act and RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The operation was conducted by the BARMM Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office, Special Action Force (SAF) and the Bubong Police Station.
Nobleza said some 10 heavily armed men fired at the troops before they could serve the search warrant, resulting to a firefight that lasted for about 25 minutes.
Killed during the encounter were Bashir Marcarangcat, Sowaib Marcarangcat and Abdulatip Ripag.
“These suspects were engaged in gun running and proliferation of illegal drugs. Accordingly, they were active supporters of the Dawlah Islamiya in Lanao based on their cellular phones,” Nobleza said.
The official said Police Corporal Ninla Tiingcang, a SAF member, was wounded in the clash but is now in a stable condition.
He added that several of the heavily armed men encountered by the troops managed to escape.
Arrested during the operation were Sultan Macalawan Macarambon Maulana, 61; Nasrudin Macarambon Acob, 53; Salik Maulana, 62; Anwar Aragon, 30; Acmali Sarip, 29; Saynolla Tigunogon, 20; and, a minor.
Troops seized from the suspects a 12-gauge shotgun, a carbine rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a hand grenade, a rifle scope, assorted ammunitions, cellular phones and alleged shabu worth P58,000.
Lieutenant Colonel Jamal Christopher Adiong estimated the number of hardcore members of Dawlah Islamiya at 14, headed by Abu Zacharia, and hiding in the mountains of Marogong, Lanao del Sur and its neighboring areas.
Adiong said the Dawlah Islamiya members are remnants of the Maute Group, which led the five-month Marawi Siege in May 2017.
He noted that some locals continue to support the Dawlah Islamiya, which was monitored to be linking up with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, another Islamic State-inspired group based in Maguindanao. (Marivic Omandam Davis / MindaNews)
