CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — A young relative of the brothers who founded the Maute group battling government forces in Marawi was captured by authorities in Cagayan de Oro City Thursday morning.
Mohammad Noaim Maute, 22, who allegedly uses the aliases Abu Jadid and Almahid Pangompig Romato, was arrested at 7 a.m. in Sta. Cruz, Barangay Macasandig, Region 10 police director Chief Superintendent Agripino Javier, who presented the suspect in Camp Alagar, said.
The joint police and military team of the Martial Law Special Action Group seized a fake Mindanao State University student identification card in the name of Alfaiz P. Mamintal from Maute.
Javier said Maute, who he described as a “trained bomber” and “close relative” of the founders of the extremist group, had been staying in Cagayan de Oro for two weeks before his capture.
Maute is being investigated by the Regional Intelligence Division and will be detained at the office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Evangelista.
The suspect is among the more than 100 persons ordered arrested for rebellion under Arrest Order No. 1 issued by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the designated administrator of martial law in Mindanao, which President Rodrigo Duterte declared on May 23, soon after hostilities broke out in Marawi.
He denied being in Marawi since the fighting started and being a bomber of the Maute group.
Authorities have captured several alleged members and supporters of the Maute group including Cayamora and Ominta, the parents of the group’s founders Omar Khayaam and Abdullah, and former Marawi mayor Fajad Salic.
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