Police arrest 2 men linked to Marawi siege

MANILA, Philippines — Two men who allegedly took part in the five-month terror siege of Marawi City two years ago were arrested by police intelligence agents in Quezon City on Saturday.

Gen. Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police, announced on Monday the arrest of Arnel Cabintoy and Feliciano Sulayao at the compound of Salam Mosque at Barangay Culiat in Tandang Sora.

Grenades and blasting caps were confiscated from the two suspects who, Albayalde said, are “Balik Islam” and members of Daulah Islamiyah, a terror group that pledges allegiance to Islamic State.

Police are trying to find out if Cabintoy and Sulayao, who are both from Sulu province, came to Metro Manila to stage attacks, the PNP chief said.

He said the suspects were “part of the support group” of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf fighters during the siege.

“At the height of the Marawi siege, when they saw that they were losing, they escaped,” Albayalde said.

Albayalde said the suspects, who arrived in Metro Manila just over a week ago, were among some 300 people whose arrest had been ordered by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. —Jeannette I. Andrade