Maute members arrested in Iloilo port

Philippine Coast Guard in Iloilo apprehended 3 alleged members of Maute terrorist group near Iloilo port.

ILOILO CITY - A sister of the Maute brothers and two others were arrested near the Iloilo port on Sunday, June 18.

Capt. Leopoldo Panopio, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Northern Mindanao, said the Maute sister was arrested while on board 2GO's MV St. Therese of the Child Jesus near the port of Iloilo.

Panopio told dzBB that coast guard personnel spotted the Maute sister, whose name the official has declined to disclose, at the port of Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday night.

"Pagpasok sa pier ng Northern Mindanao sa CDO, medyo hindi nakuha ang pagkakakilanlan dahil hindi kawangis ng larawan [sa listahan ng wanted na Maute group members)," the PCG official said.

Panopio said that after confirming the Maute sister's identity on Saturday morning, he and his men rushed to Iloilo province to intercept the 2GO vessel.




"Bago makadaong sa pantalan ay sinalubong na namin para makuha," he added.

He said the woman confirmed that she was the wanted Maute sister. He said the suspect used fake identities at the Cagayan de Oro City port.

Panopio said two companions of the Maute sister were also arrested.




Radio dzBB's Rojimar Sucaldito reported that one of the two companions of the Maute sister had an amputated leg.

Sucaldito said authorities have yet to determine if the man recently had his leg amputated and if his leg was injured in Marawi City, where the military is fighting hundreds of members of the Maute group. [via GMA News, Photo by RMN Iloilo]