Maguindanao mayor gets arrested on murder charges

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Police authorities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has arrested a town mayor of Maguindanao who has a warrant of arrest for murder and multiple murder.

Mayor Norodin Salasal of Datu Salibo, Maguindanao was arrested Sunday by members of the Buldon town police office, the Maguindanao police office and the Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup-12), the PNP-ARMM said in a statement.

The police served the warrant of arrest issued by Judge Bansawan Ibrahim of Regionl Trial Court Branch 13 on murder and multiple murder charges as soon as Salasal entered the arrival area of the Cotabato Airport at 10:30 a.m.

Salasal had just arrived from Manila on board a Cebu Pacific flight.

Salasal, who was included in the drug watch list of President Rodrigo Duterte, did not resist arrest. But he repeatedly denied involvement in illegal drugs in various media interviews.

Recently, he led the surrender of loose firearms collected by the local government from civilians to the military.

He is now in police custody undergoing investigation.