By AARON RECUENCO, with a report from Jeffrey Damicog
A case of rebellion and three other serious criminal offenses were filed yesterday against a suspected Indonesian terrorist who allegedly fought with the Maute Group during the five-month firefight in Marawi City.
Supt. Vemily Madrid, deputy spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the charges were filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) after completing all the documents and pieces of evidence against Muhammad Ilham Syahputra.
Madrid said the suspected Indonesian terrorist arrived at Camp Crame on Wednesday night.
“He is undergoing the routine police procedures for the arrested person,” said Madrid.
Aside from a case of rebellion for the Marawi siege, charges of violation of Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulatory Act (Republic Act 10591), Explosive Act (9516) and International Humanitarian Law (RA 9581) were leveled against the 22-year old Indonesian.
The Indonesian was presented before Deputy City Prosecutor Alfredo Agcaoili and Assitant State Prosecutor Rodan Parrocha.
The criminal complaints against the Indonesian have been submitted for resolution during the inquest proceedings.
Syahputra was arrested at around 7 a.m. on Wednesday during the clearing operations in Barangay Luksa Datu in Marawi City, said Senior Supt. John Guyguyon, director of the Lanao del Sur provincial police office.
“It was the BPAT (Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team) who spotted him. He was wet because accordingly he swam out of the area where he was hiding and the BPAT noticed his different feature which is not Filipino,” said Guyguyon.
Seized from Syahputra were a colored pink tablet; 10 pieces of 1,000 peso bills; 15 pieces of 500 peso bills; two pieces R100; six pieces of 10 Qatari riyals; four pieces 100 UAE dirhams; two pieces 10 Singapore dollar; five pieces of 5 Qatar riyals; eight pieces of 100 Saudi riyals; and, five pieces 1 Qatari riyals.
Also seized were seven pieces of gold bracelets, a fragmentation grenade, a .45 pistol, and magazines and a passport of possibly his Indonesian companion.
Guyguyon earlier said Syahputra claimed to have killed his Indonesian companion in order to escape.
Based on intelligence reports, Syahputra arrived in the country in 2016 after he was invited by Isnilon Hapilon who was designated as emir of the caliphate being planned by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to be set up in Southeast Asia.
Hapilon was killed along with Omar Maute. Their death started the end of the fighting in Marawi City which started on May 23 this year and led to the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao.
Asked where Syahputra will be detained, Madrid said they will leave the decision to the proper authorities.
The PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame is considered as a secured detention facility for suspected terrorists