Suspect in Lanao Sur governor's ambush captured

COTABATO CITY - Security forces captured one of the alleged gunmen in the February ambush on the convoy of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr that killed his three police escorts and a civilian aide in the town of Maguing, the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division said Friday.

Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr

It said Lomala Baratomo was captured on Thursday, May 25, at a roadblock in the village of Centrala in South Cotabato's Surallah town after police and military tracked him down in the province.

Photos released by the 6th Infantry Division show Lomala Baratomo, one of the suspects, in the February 17, 2023 ambush of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr that killed four people in Maguing town. (Mindanao Examiner)

Colonel Andre Santos, commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, said the 42-year old Baratomo is the principal suspect in the ambush and has a string of arrest warrants for various crimes, including murder, and wanted both in Lanao del Sur and in Bangsamoro autonomous region.

"Simula nitong Pebrero, pinagsama-sama na ang efforts ng Joint Task Force Central, 6th Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Division at Philippine National Police para i-trace ang suspek na si Kumander Lomala," Santos said without further elaborating.

Major General Alex Rillera, the division commander, lauded security forces for Baratumo's capture, but he too did not provide details of the operations that led to the arrest of the suspect. “Ang pagkadakip ng suspek ay nagpapatunay lamang ng kahalagahan at pagiging epektibo ng mga nakalatag nating mga checkpoints. Ito ay isang pagsisikap kasama ng ating mga units on the ground at mga namamahala sa ating mga patrol bases kung saan patuloy na nagta-trabaho sa loob ng ilang buwan upang masubaybayan at mahuli si Lomala,” he said.

Security officials also paraded Baratomo - who was wearing an orange t-shirt marked with the word "Detainee" and a pair of brown short pants - to the press at a news conference late Thursday, but he did not give any statement or was not allowed to talk.

Brigadier General Jimili Macaraeg, commander of the police force in SOCCSKSARGEN, said Baratomo was captured by members of the 2nd South Cotabato Provincial Mobile Force at the checkpoint. SOCCSKSARGEN is an an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces and one city - South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City.

Macaraeg said the arrest of Baratomo was made possible through intel-driven operations by the police and military. "We commend the unwavering efforts and great synergy of all units. This success is a testament to the relentless commitment of the Police Regional Office 12 in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies to protect the communities and bring the criminals behind bars to serve justice to the victims," he said.

Adiong was in a convoy when gunmen ambushed them February 17 in the village called Dilimbayan and wounded him and Ali Macapado. The attack, however, killed Staff Sergeant Mohammad Jurai Mipanga Adiong, 40; Corporal Johanie Lawi Sumandar, 39; and Corporal Jalil Ampuan Cosain, 40; and Kobi. The group was on its way to Wao town when the attack occurred around 4.15 p.m. (Mindanao Examiner)