PNP Chief Ditector General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa has raised the possibility of Maute terror group members lurking in Metro Manila, following the arrest of one of its alleged sub-leaders in Tondo.
On Monday, the PNP presented to the media Abdul Nasser Lomondot, an alleged Maute group sub-leader, who was arrested in Tondo Manila last Saturday.
Dela Rosa, however, said Lomondot might have no intention “to create havoc” in the metropolis but only to hide from the law.
“Andito siya sa Manila since January this year not to create havoc but to seek refuge dahil nga naiipit siya sa Mindanao – ‘yung gulo ng Martial Law sa Mindanao – kaya siya lumipad dito sa Manila para may lay low,” Dela Rosa said during a press briefing.
(He’s been here in Manila since January not to create havoc but to seek refuge since he’s being pinned in Mindanao – the chaos of Martial Law in Mindanao – that’s why he fled to Manila to lay low.)
But Dela Rosa said the fact that Lomondot has a place to stay in Metro Manila could be a possibility that his colleagues have reached the nation’s capital.
Meanwhile, Manila Police District (MPD) Director Joel Coronel said Lomontod was “involved personally and present” in the Marawi City siege.
“The subject, Abdul Nasser Lomondot, is a sub-group leader of the Maute group… He was involved personally and present during the Marawi incident,” Coronel claimed.
According to the MPD chief, Lomondot was one of the targets of the military during an operation held in Marawi City sometime in October 2017 but that the alleged Maute group sub-leader managed to escape. /kga