2 alleged Maute members arrested in Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur (Wikipedia maps)

Two suspected members of the Maute terrorist group were arrested by combined security forces in Lanao del Sur, police said on Tuesday.

Sailanie Asral Mamaorong, 37 and Mama Batara alias Mamaorung, 71, both males, were arrested in a joint operation of the Army’s 65th Infantry Battalion and Lumbatan police at the residence of the suspects in Brgy. Pantar in Lumbatan town early Monday, ARMM spokesperson Police Chief Inspector Tara Leah Cuyco said in a statement.

The suspects claimed that they were recruited by the group in 2015. The terrorists left the firearms with them but they never got in touch with the suspects ever since.

Authorities also recovered an improvised Barrett and an M203 grenade launcher from the operations.

The suspects are now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the ARMM, Cuyco said. JE