FREED, TOO Hassim Balawag Maute, alias Apple Jehad, amember of the Maute group, is escorted by soldiers a day after he was arrested. His comrades freed him and other prisoners at the Lanao del Sur provincial jail on Saturday. AFP
THE MAUTE group is one of several gangs in Mindanao that have reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Syria and Iraq.
Estimated to have 80-100 members in February, the group is led by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute. According to an earlier report quoting military intelligence, the Mautes are also believed to be involved in the illegal drug trade.
The group is also known as part of the emerging Khilafah Islamiya Movement, reportedly composed of radicalized Moros.
It has been blamed for kidnappings and bomb attacks in parts of Mindanao, such as the bombings of power transmission lines and towers, and the abduction of six sawmill workers from Iligan City earlier this year. Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives