The military and police arrested a former mayor of Marawi City wanted for rebellion with four others during a checkpoint in Misamis Oriental Wednesday night.
Reports identified the suspect as Fahad “Pre” Salic, 57, of Barangay Kabingan, Marawi.
Salic is the former husband of actress and Parañaque City Councilor Alma Moreno.
Salic was nabbed by the Philippine Army and the Police Regional Office led by Supt. Nasrodin Tayuan while on his way home from Manila in a police and Army checkpoint in Barangay San Martin in Villanueva at 6:30 p.m.
Aside from Salic, four other unidentified passengers on-board a white Ford Ranger with license plates AFA-1151 were also arrested.
Salic was arrested by virtue of Arrest Order No. 2 for Violation of Article 134 for rebellion under the Revised Penal Code issued by the Department of National Defense dated June 5, 2017 and signed by the Martial Law Administrator Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana.
Salic is under the custody of the Villanueva Municipal Police Station and it is not yet clear if he will be taken to Manila.
Supt. Lemuel Gonda, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 10, also said Salic was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Marawi siege.
“He was arrested because of an arrest order issued against him by the Department of National Defense, through Arrest Order No. 2, where his name is included for involvement in the Marawi rebellion,” Gonda said.
Salic denied the accusation. “I am not involved in that. I’ve been in Manila even before the trouble in Marawi started,” Salic said.
Salic has been tagged by President Duterte as a narco-politician which he denied.
“When that news came out, I personally went to the DILG regional office to clear my name. In fact, I signed a waiver that I am willing to be investigated. Until now, I cannot find any reason why I have been implicated in illegal drugs,” Salic said.
Authorities did not find anything suspicious in the vehicle he used, except for personal belongings.
(Francis T. Wakefield and Camcer Ordonez Imam)
