Did QC stall rentals fund Maute? ‘Financier’ nabbed

A day after his arrest in Novaliches, Quezon City, a handcuffed Rasdi Malawani is presented at Camp Karingal in a press briefing on Friday.—NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Rent paid by stall holders at an electronics and cell phone bazaar in Novaliches, Quezon City, may have been funneled to the Maute terror group, police said on Friday.

A joint operation by the military and police resulted in the arrest Rasdi Hamid Malawani, allegedly a Maute “financier” who collected the funds and sent them to the Islamic State-inspired combatants in Mindanao.

Malawani, 42, allegedly fronted for Ominta Romato “Farhana” Maute in managing her Salam Bazaar at Novaliches Plaza Mall after she was arrested in June. She remains in detention at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

The suspect collected monthly rent of around P300 to P500 each from at least 30 tenants and remitted the money to Azezha “Lily” Macabangkit-Maute, who is reportedly based in Mindanao, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing on Friday.

P300K monthly

Lily is the sister of Malawani’s wife, Princess Junairah, and the wife of Maddie, one of the Maute brothers who planned and carried out the May 23 siege of Marawi City. The military declared victory against the terrorist group on Monday after five months of fighting that left 1,100 people dead, including 165 soldiers.

Malawani remitted as much as P300,000 monthly from June to October, said Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director. The official, however, said the “financial investigation” of the case was still ongoing.

“But we have reason to believe [that] based on the information and case buildup, the funds that were obtained from these businesses were being used to support the activities in Marawi,” Eleazar said.

Around 6:25 a.m. on Thursday, authorities stormed Malawani’s home at Marytown Circle corner Palm Street in Greenfields 1 Subdivision in Barangay Kaligayahan. They came with a search warrant issued by Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert of QC Regional Trial Court Branch 89.

The joint operation was conducted by the QCPD, the Armed Forces intelligence service and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

Seized from house were bank transaction receipts, a rocket-propelled grenade, a .45-caliber Colt pistol with no serial number, a magazine and five bullets.

Albayalde said they were still building a case against Malawani for financing terrorism but that the suspect would be charged for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

No defense lawyer

Malawani was presented in the press conference but he was not allowed to speak to reporters. No defense lawyer was present.

The suspect allegedly hosted at least two Maute family members at his Novaliches home in October and November 2016. They were identified as Jerry Maute and Tura Marohom Maute, the latter believed to be a relative of the family patriarch Cayamora, police said.

“What we see now in Metro Manila are supporters and sympathizers who provide financial support in Mindanao, particularly in Marawi,” Albayalde said. “[Malawani] is not an armed rebel…but one of their financial sources.”

“The funds may be used for some other actions that they may want to undertake later,” Albayalde said. “The money most likely did not reach the city during the Marawi siege.”

The NCRPO chief also said they were considering profiling all the stall holders in Salam Bazaar and coordinate with the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office as part of the investigation.

“We will also check with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and eventually, if needed, coordinate with the Anti-Money Laundering Council,” Eleazar added. “What is more important to us is that we have crippled one of the sources of funds used by the terror group in their activities.”—WITH A REPORT FROM REUTERS