Islamic cleric, 26 followers face cases for illegal guns in Marawi

MARAWI CITY – Police authorities here on Thursday filed formal complaints against an Islamic cleric, who claimed to be a Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader, and 26 of his followers for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Aleem Abdullaziz Aminodin and his men were brought to the city prosecutors office here, where they were presented for inquest.

Aminoden and his men were on four vehicles and were going to Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur, when flagged down at a military checkpoint at the junction of Barangays Matampay and Mipaga here on Tuesday evening.

When asked to present their identities, Aminoden said he was an MNLF commander and that they were trying to locate his daughter, who was kidnapped by an unidentified Moro rebel commander in Lanao del Norte, said Col. Joselito Pastrana, the commander of the Army’s 65th Infantry Battalion.

Pastrana said the soldiers did not buy Aminoden’s story and hauled them to the city police office after seizing their high-powered rifles and handguns as they could not present documents to prove that the firearms were legal.

He said among those arrested was a 16-year old boy.

Pastrana said the firearms seized included an M-60 machine gun, a Barret sniper’s rifle with scope, a Garand rifle, an improvised Recoil-less Propelled Grenade, a Rifle grenade, and at least five handguns.

Brig. Gen. Roseller Murillo, the commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, commended the soldiers for arresting Aminoden and his men.

“We are also looking at his possible link with the Maute group,” he said.  SFM