CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Police arrested at least 40 members of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) found carrying firearms at a village in Talakag town, Bukidnon province on Monday (Feb. 24) yet.
Capt. Dominador Orate, Talakag police chief, said the MILF members, all men, were aboard a truck when flagged down at a checkpoint past 3 p.m.
Seized from the group were assault rifles, a grenade, magazine clips, ammunition, two-way radio sets and ID cards, Orate said.
The men did not resist when stopped by a police team at a checkpoint.
“Seeing a truckload of armed men raised suspicion as it is a rare sight here,” said Orate on Tuesday (Feb. 25).
“So, we flagged down the truck and inspected them one by one,” he added.
The men identified themselves as MILF members belonging to a unit based in Camp Bad’r in Talangan, Maguindanao.
They identified their commander as Abdulbasser Sulaiman Tahir, Orate said.
The passengers in the truck were from Midtimbang, Maguindanao, he said.
Some of the men belonged to the MILF’s armed component, Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).
Two of the men had been identified by Orate as Tatokan Munting and Ibrahim Nabadtog.
He said the group was on its way to an MILF camp in Talakag when intercepted by police.
Officials from the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) came to the Talakag police late Monday and negotiated for the turnover of the men to the agency, Orate said.
He did not name the OPAPP officials but said they worked with the government coordinating committee on cessation of hostilities.
Orate also did not mention where the group was taken by the OPAPP.
He said the Talakag police took custody of the firearms, ammunition and other items that were seized.
“It is up to the OPAPP if appropriate charges will be filed against those responsible for bringing the firearms and ammunition,” Orate said.