Tag: Maute

Military says Omar Maute likely dead; Gov’t troops closing in on brother Abdullah, Abu Sayyaf’s Hapilon

(Eagle News) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Thursday that one of the leaders of the terrorist group Maute was likely dead. “Omar(khayam) Maute, more or less, mukhang patay na ito,” General Eduardo Año said in an ambush interview on the sidelines of a security meeting in Pasay. According to Año, his brother Abdullah was, however, still alive, and was still inside Marawi. The “death” of Omarkhayam comes weeks after the arrest of Cayamora […]

Australia sends spy planes to southern Philippines

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australian military spy planes will start flying missions over the southern Philippines to help in the fight against Islamic militants terrorizing the area, the government said Friday. Fighters linked to the Islamic State (IS) group have been battling troops for a month around Marawi city in the Mindanao region in a conflict that has claimed lives. Canberra, which has an extensive defense cooperation program with Manila, said two high-tech AP-3C Orion aircraft […]

Three arrested Maute members in Iloilo undergo inquest proceedings in Cagayan de Oro

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) – The three suspected members of the Maute Group who were arrested at an Iloilo port last Sunday underwent inquest proceedings in Camp Evangelista, in Cagayan De Oro City. One of the three suspected members of Maute arrested by the authorities was the sister of Omar and Adbullah Maute.  The Maute brothers were among the Islamist militant leaders behind the attack of Marawi City which has now become a veritable […]

Duterte, Widodo, reaffirm commitment vs terrorism in phone conversation

(Eagle News) — The Philippines and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism in a phone conversation on Wednesday night, as Philippine government troops closed in on local terrorist groups wreaking havoc in Marawi. Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the call between President Rodrigo Duterte and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo was “productive and fruitful.” He said it was President Duterte who received the Indonesian counterpart’s phone call, which came at a time Philippine government troops were battling […]

Gov’t gears up for looming return of evacuees to Marawi as troops close in on Maute, Abu Sayyaf

(Eagle News) — The government is now gearing up for the looming return of evacuees to Marawi, as government troops close in on local terrorists who have wrought havoc in the city. In a briefing in Malacanang on Thursday, Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said President Rodrigo Duterte was “setting aside” P20 billion for the “reconstruction” of Marawi, where government troops are close to defeating members of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups that have pledged […]

Military says hostage-taking in Pigcawayan over; all hostages unharmed, accounted for

The occupation of a school by Islamic terrorists in Cotabato is now over, with each of the 31 hostages the militants took accounted for and unharmed, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Wednesday night. “It’s all resolved, all the hostages have been accounted for, no one was hurt,” military spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla told AFP by phone. The unrest occurred in Pigcawayan, a farming town about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Marawi […]

More than 170 families evacuated as BIFF rebels attack two barangays in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato

(Eagle News) — More than 170 families from Pigcawayan town in North Cotabato have been evacuated after the reported attack of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Barangays Malagakit and Simsiman around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21. The BIFF fighters were armed with rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) and he several hostages, according to a police source in the area. “Marami sila,” said the source, adding that the enemy forces had lots of “snipers” as government […]

13 hinihinalang miyembro ng Maute, dinala sa CDO matapos ma-confine sa Pagadian

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (Eagle News) – Nasa 13 katao ang sumailalim sa profiling at paraffin test matapos mai-report sa mga awtoridad na may naka-confine sa isang pagamutan sa Pagadian City na galing sa Marawi City. Ayon kay PSupt. Kiram Jimlani, Hepe ng PNP-Pagadian, agad niyang pinaimbestigatihan ng matanggap ang report na may naka-confine sa Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center na galing sa Marawi City. Isa sa 13 katao ay kritikal na kinilalang si Junaid Ampaso Dimarogong. Dagdag […]

President Duterte orders close monitoring of several municipalities in Visayas region

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte alerted authorities to guard several municipalities in Visayas to prevent the entry of members of the Maute Group and the Abu Sayyaf who are escaping Mindanao as government intensifies its clearing operations in Marawi City. But President Duterte said that he does not need to declare martial law in Visayas. He said this was because the Maute Group members fleeing Mindanao can be arrested without warrant since […]

Maute sister, two other suspected terrorists, arrested in Iloilo port

(Eagle News) — A sister of the two Maute brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah was arrested on a ship near the Iloilo port together with two other suspected terrorists, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. Capt. Leopoldo Panopio, Coast Guard commander in Northern Mindanao said that the Maute sister was arrested while on board 2GO’s MV St. Therese of the Child Jesus. According to Panopio, the Maute sister, whose name was withheld by the authorities, was […]

President Duterte denies failure of intel paved way for situation in Marawi

Blames “soft policy toward rebels,” the “taking for granted of the arms game” (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday denied a failure of intelligence on the part of government paved the way for the situation in Marawi now. “It was not a question of failure on the part of government. We have adopted a very soft policy toward rebels,” Duterte said in his first public appearance since he took a rest for several […]

AFP tells public to report “suspicious individuals,” activities; says some Maute members may have slipped out of Marawi

Security heightened in cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro (Eagle News) — The Philippine military advised the public to report to the government any “suspicious individuals” or activities that they will observe in their areas, especially in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro after concerns were raised that some Maute members may have slipped out of Marawi City and mingled among evacuees. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla admitted on […]