DAVAO CITY - Government forces killed three Muslim militants and captured seven others as they clashed at dawn Sunday in the southern Philippine province of Lanao del Sur, officials said Monday.
The clash that took place in the remote village Matampay Dimarao in Bubong town at around 3:00 a.m. while lawmen were about to serve a search warrant on members of Daulah Islamiyah, said Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, the regional police chief.
Nobreza said that the clash also wounded a policeman, Cpl. Celso Ninla Tingcang, a member of the Special Action Force.
“As the troops were approaching the gang's safe house they were fired upon, triggering a brief gun battle,” Nobleza said.
The suspects, who have links with the Maute group, are also engaged in gunrunning and illegal drug trading, according to Colonel Robert Daculan, the provincial police chief.
“The bodies of the slain suspects were claimed by their relatives yesterday,” he told a local radio station.
Four rifles, two handguns, a grenade and ammunition were recovered from the arrested suspects who were named as Sultan Macalawan Macarambon Maulana, Nasrudin Acob, Salik Maulana, Anwar Aragon, Acmali Sarip, Aslani Ripag and Saynolla Tigunogon, according to Daculan.
The Daulah Islamiyah is the Philippine name for Islamic State (IS). The Maute group was founded by two Filipino brothers by that surname who helped organize and lead a five-month siege of Marawi City by pro-IS fighters from the Philippines and other countries in 2017. Marawi is the capital of Lanao del Sur.
During the ransacking of the southern Philippine city, the Mautes acted as lieutenants to overall Philippine IS head and Abu Sayyaf Group militant Isnilon Hapilon, who led the attack on Marawi. The ensuing battle of Marawi between government forces and the pro-IS militants lasted from May 23 to Oct. 23, 2017. It left the city in ruins and an estimated 1,200 people dead.
Hapilon, as well as both of the Maute brothers were killed in the fighting, but some militants managed to flee Marawi. They are now scattered in the south and the military say they have been trying to recruit new fighters to their cause.
Meanwhile in Sultan Kudarat province, a leader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters blamed in several attacks against government forces, has surrendered to authorities along with his nine followers in the town of Isulan town.
“They told us they were tired of evading police and soldiers,” said Bermudez.
BIFF are guerrillas who broke away from the former separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), when the latter agreed to a peace deal with the government for an expanded autonomy in the Philippine south. The MILF now controls the region and has been helping Manila fight against the BIFF and other militant organizations.
BIFF, which has openly supported the Islamic State group, has been blamed for several attacks, including bombings in public areas. (Jeoffrey Maitem)
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