(Eagle News) — The Philippine National Police on Tuesday confirmed that there were already members of the terrorist Maute group in Metro Manila.
National Capital Region Police Office head Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde made the confirmation following the arrest of Nasif Ibrahim, 35, in Salam Compound, Culiat, Quezon City, on Monday.
“Ang alam natin, meron talaga silang contact dito, meron silang members dito na prumoprotekta sa kanila, kagaya nito (suspect),” Albayalde said during a press conference.
Albayalde said Ibrahim–who was arrested at 9:20 p.m.– is one of those responsible for the attempted bombing of the United States Embassy on November 28, 2016.
He said Ibrahim was the driver of a Revo that transported the improvised explosive device from Mindanao to Metro Manila via a roro.
The bomb squad was able to defuse the IED after a streetsweeper reported seeing a suspicious-looking object inside a trashcan near the embassy to the police.
The police have yet to find the vehicle.
According to Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District director, Ibrahim was also the nephew of the subleader of the Maute members behind the foiled bombing.
Their leader, he said, was Yusuf Makoto, who is believed to be in hiding in Tanza, Cavite.
“Yung grupo na ito came from Mindanao. Siya (Ibrahim) nagprovide ng accommodation days before (the) November 28 foiled bombing. Siya nag-arrange ng accommodation. And then sila (the group) rin contact ni Rashid Quilala and other three Balik-Islam arrested after the foiled bombing,” he said.
According to Albayalde, Ibrahim has lived in Quezon City since 1992, and even owns a sari-sari store, and a ticketing and money remittance outlet.
He said his arrest was made possible by the “close coordination” between the police and the community.
Recovered from Ibrahim were a Colt cal. .45 pistol loaded with four live ammunition, one .cal .45 pistol, one machine pistol, one 60 mm. mortar shell, and seven plastic sachets containing suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride.
While PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa acknowledged that the Maute group was the “strongest ISIS-inspired” group in the country so far, he said that there was no need to panic.
“I… urge our people to remain calm and alert and vigilant of the presence of threat groups in our midst. The PNP, in cooperation with the military, remains on high alert against any threat to peace and order, and public safety,” Dela Rosa said.
