Terror group seen behind cargo of bullets

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Authorities are seeing a link between the attempt to transport thousands of bullets in a bus terminal here and the operations of Maute Group, which is being held responsible for the September bombing in Davao City that killed 15 persons.

On Thursday last week, more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition for machine guns and four pieces of grenades, estimated to be worth P372,000, were seized by policemen and soldiers at the integrated bus terminal in Agora Complex in Barangay Lapasan here.

Supt. Surki Sereñas, Northern Mindanao police spokesperson, said he believed that the bullets were for Maute Group, based in Butig, Lanao del Sur province. The group had pledged allegiance to the international terror network Islamic State.

“There are indicators that point to Butig as the possible destination (of the bullets),” said Sereñas.

He said the bullets, kept in boxes, were without permits and are therefore “intended for illegitimate purposes.”

Chief Insp. Melgar Devaras, deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the region, said law enforcers arrested Amer Macarangal and Jabar Mangadag, both residing in Marawi City but natives of Butig.

The two were carrying the boxes of bullets and had misdeclared these as car parts.—JIGGER JERUSALEM