(Eagle News) — Three suspected supporters of the Maute group were arrested by authorities in a raid in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday.
Members of the Martial Law Special Action Group apprehended Monaliza Solaiman Romato, Gazim Mantawazi Abdullah, and Tahera Romato Taher in a raid in a house in Aluba in Barangay Macasandig.
The authorities were armed with a search warrant when they raided the house owned by Irene Romato Idris, believed to be a financier of the Maute group.
Idris, however, was not in the house when authorities implemented the search warrant issued by a Cagayan de Oro court.
According to Chief Inspector Mardy Hortillosa II, Cagayan de Oro police spokesperson, Romato, Abdullah and Taher were not included in the arrest orders issued by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, but they were implicated in terrorism activities by several members of the Maute group who had been arrested in June.
Based on the police’s initial investigation, the three were behind a bombing plot in Cagayan de Oro that was aimed at diverting the government troops’ attention from the ongoing conflict in Marawi.
Both Idris and Romato, the police said, are also believed to have taken over Farhana Maute’s role in the local terror group.
Farhana–allegedly Romato’s aunt—was arrested in Lanao del Sur in June, and is now detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
Her husband, Cayamora, has also been arrested and is detained in the same facility.
During the raid, authorities also confiscated bomb-making materials and explosives, including a blasting cap, nine-volt batter with a holder, eight detonating cords, four M203 grenade (40mm HE), a C4 explosive, suspected ammonium nitrate placed inside a plastic bag, suspected ammonium nitrate placed inside a plastic bottle, 19 pieces of 100-watt incandescent bulbs, and a jungle knife.
Charges are set to be filed against the suspects, who are detained in Camp Evangelista.