AUTHORITIES have arrested two suspected members of the Islamic State-inspired, Daulah Islamiyah Philippines in an operation in Quezon City.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said Arnel Flores Cabintoy alias Abu Musab and Feliciano Manas Sulayao alias Abu Muslim were arrested on Saturday, June 15, in Salam Compound in Culiat, Quezon City.
Cabintoy is a native of Abra while Sulayao hails from Northern Samar. They are facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Allegedly recovered from them were grenades, blasting caps and other materials for an improvised explosive device.
Albayalde said the two took part in the Marawi siege in 2017 but escaped from the said city before the stand-off ended.
Albayalde said Cabintoy and Sulayao were members of the Daulah Islamiya Philippines under Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan who took over the leadership of the Maute terror group which started the Marawi siege.
“They were already under surveillance itong mga taong ito even in Mindanao. So nung pumunta sila dito, dito natin sila naaresto,” he said.
He said the suspects are listed on the Martial Law arrest orders, along with other terrorist group members who took part in the Marawi siege.
Albayalde commended the community and the people of Culiat for providing them with information that led to the arrest of the suspects.
He said they have yet to establish the purpose of the suspects’ move to Metro Manila.
“Well that is still under investigation ‘yung talagang pakay nila dito but we believe by going here meron silang pakay na ayaw din lang nilang sabihin because these people were already under surveillance nung sila ay nagtago sa mindanao that's why namonitor sila pagdating nila dito sa metro manila and we believe na meron silang ibang pakay dito sa Metro Manila,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)